


A Christmas Getaway

by TheWritingGiant



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: F/M, Hallmark Movie AU, It's really not much of anything though, mentions minor/past Jemma Simmons/Will Daniels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2019-01-06
Packaged: 2019-09-25 15:42:29
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 25,266
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17124140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheWritingGiant/pseuds/TheWritingGiant
Summary: Hoping to spend her vacation relaxing, travelling lecturer/part-time travel writer Jemma Simmons decides to experience something she hasn’t in a very long time, a traditional British Christmas, in the Highlands of Scotland. After a reservation mishap, she finds herself sharing her cottage with a single father, his young daughter and his sister. Will what started as a mild inconvenience grow into something more?





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a Fitzsimmons AU of the movie Christmas Getaway. During some time off work I went on an Christmas movie binge and this one just really stood out from the rest all I could think of was how to make it a Fitzsimmons story so here we are. Hope you enjoy.

"It's called _Risgrynsgröt_ ," Jemma smiled at the table full her boyfriend, Will's, friends as she spooned the treat into bowls. "Which is basically Swedish rice pudding." She had just returned to Glasgow from Sweden after lecturing at Karolinska Institute for three weeks. They had all kinds of beautiful winter and holiday traditions in the country, and she was itching to share some of the things learned with the group. 

"It smells amazing," Will beamed up at her.

"Well the best part is that based on Swedish Christmas tradition, whoever finds the almond will be married by next Christmas," she saw the eyes light up on the faces of the couples as she sat down and picked up her own spoon. "Good luck."

She watched for a moment as they all eagerly dug around their bowls before picking up her own. She was more hesitant than the rest, carefully moving the porridge from side to side, biting her lip. She tried to match the eagerness on the faces that surrounded her, but she knew her heart wasn't in it. She wasn't sure why, but she was dreading what Will's reaction would be is she was the one who pulled up with an almond on her spoon. Suddenly a squealing cheer sounded from her left, she looked up and saw Becca, one of Will's co-workers at UK Space Agency, triumphantly holding up the almond on her spoon. Jemma couldn't help the sigh of relief that escaped her as Becca turned and kissed her beaming boyfriend, Spencer. 

The rest of the night went smoothly; there was drinks and music and laughter, exactly what the holidays should be, and before Jemma knew it, she was on her way out the door with Will.

"I love sharing traditions from the places I've been," she mused as she linked her arm through Will's and they started down the pavement.

"You always have most interesting tales to tell," he replied.

"Perk of what I do," she gushed, maybe she had over done it on the wine just a little, she was feeling far more chatty than usual. "Universities pay me to come and give a few lectures about my research on my crystalline nucleation process, it affords me more than enough time to explore while I'm there, then I write it all up for Elena to publish in her magazine.  
It's a win for everyone, really, and honestly, I couldn't imagine it another way."

"That's the problem, isn't it?" Will stopped, making Jemma come to a halt with him.

"What do you mean?"

"The almond," he frowned, dropping his arm from hers and folding it across his chest. "And your reaction to it."

"Will," Jemma sighed. "We've only been dating for six months."

"My parents were engaged after four."

"We aren't your parents," she placed placating hand on his arm. "And really when you think about the time we've actually spent together, we've only really been together for two of those months."

"And whose fault is that?" he accused.

"Excuse me?"

"Maybe if you didn't travel so much," he huffed. "If you didn't take all those guest lecturing posts, you're your side gig writing for Elena keeping you away even longer, we'd have had more time together, and you would happily looked for that almond like the rest of us."

Jemma took a step back, affronted. "You went on a mission to the Space Station for three months, just after we got together. So if you want to argue cumulative time and distance, I think you have me beat about ten fold." 

"Yeah and when it was done I came back, you're the one who keeps jetting off!"

"For a couple of days, a week or two, maybe, not months!" Jemma shouted. "And unlike with you, there are constant phone calls, and texts, and facetime."

"That's not the same, and you know it," Will hissed. "Let's face it Jemma you're still far more interested in travelling then you are in settling down. Especially with a regular guy like me."

"And so we broke up," Jemma finished relaying the story to her best friend and editor Elena, as they walked to magazine office. She looked over to try and gage her friend's reaction, but Elena sipped her coffee and refused to meet Jemma's eye. "Which doesn't seem to surprise you." 

"You're a biochemist Jemma, so you should know better than anyone that you can't fake chemistry," Elena shrugged. "Especially when a couple spends as much time apart as you two did." 

"That's because somebody who I'm pointing at," she dug a finger into Elena's side gently. "Keeps asking me to go on assignments every time I take a lecture, making me extend my trips."

"You want me to stop?"

"No," Jemma admitted. "I love it."

"I know you do," Elena nodded. "I'm not sure how you do it though."

Jemma shrugged. "I grew up living out of my suitcase, I guess I'm just used to it."

"And as your editor, I love that about you," she looped arm through Jemma's continued on the way. "But as your friend…"

"Say it," Jemma urged as she trailed off.

"I want you to get that almond."

"That would require me to stay in one place for an extended period of time" Jemma mused as they entered the building and headed towards their offices.

"And I know that one day you're going to find someone who's going to want to make you do exactly that," Elena chuckled. "I did."

Jemma turned the idea over in her mind. It was true Elena had at one point travelled just as much as she did, she'd been a prize winning photo journalist, then writer and photographer herself for the magazine, before she took over as editor five years ago after she married husband Alfonso 'Mack" Mackenzie.

"Speaking of," she broke Jemma out of her thoughts. "You should join Mack, the kids and me for Christmas. Mateo and Daniela would be thrilled to have their Auntie Jemma there."

"It's tempting," Jemma said. "But I was thinking about renting a cottage in the country somewhere, the Highlands maybe, and do some relaxing before someone asks me to go to Kathmandu or something."

"You're going to be alone?" Elena stopped short. "At Christmas?"

"It wouldn't be the first time," Jemma assured brightly started down the hall to her office. "I'll be ok."

Elena just rolled her eyes friends retreating back and headed opposite direction towards her own office. The holidays were near, and there was a lot of work to be done. 

*

Fitz groaned as he got out of the SUV, cursing himself. It had started raining on the way down from Stark Industries, and he left his umbrella in his office. Tugging at his tie, he quick-stepped towards building in front of him, he was running late.

"Fitz," someone called out making him turn. 

"Jane," he smiled at the woman walking towards him. Taking the umbrella, she offered and holding it over both of them they headed to the front door together.

"You can't get that tie off fast enough, huh?" she noted.

"Reminds me spent all day in meetings."

"Oh please, you spend ninety-nine per cent your time in cardigans and jeans."

"Perks of leaving military sector behind," he grinned. "Far less formality on the day to day, Stark doesn't care how I dress as long as I produce designs he likes."

"Oh yeah," she chortled. "Maybe I should make the switch."

"Stark's always looking qualified lab techs, swear I've had five leave just this month."

"Daddy!" a voice pulled his attention away from the woman.

He beamed as he watched his daughter bound forward, her black hair streaming behind her as she ran into him for a hug/

"Daisy," he dropped a kiss to the top of her head. "Hi, sweetheart. Did you have a good day?'

"Yup," she nodded. "Do you have to go back to work?"

"Nope, I am officially off for the holidays," he brushed some of her hair away from her eyes. "So I figured we could get some Christmas shopping done today." And maybe a hair cut. 

"Any big Christmas plans?" Jane asked as she wrapped an arm around her own daughter, Piper.

"Not really we'll probably just head out for brunch with my sister," Fitz shrugged. "We're pretty low key."

"Well, that sounds like fun," the woman smiled. 

"Yeah. It's fun right?" he looked down at Daisy who gave him a tight-lipped smile in return.

"One of these times you guys should try and get up to the Highlands," Jane suggested

"Yeah," Piper bounced up and down excitedly on his tip toes. "You should come to Cedar Grove like us, it's so much fun. There's sledding and ice skating, and you can even cut down your own Christmas tree."

"It's near Cairngorms National Park," Jane explained. "The forests and mountains and snow it really puts you in the Christmas spirit."

"Maybe someday," Fitz turned to Daisy. "But we got to go so put your hood on we're gonna make a run for it. Ready, set, go." They raced to the car, Fitz offering a wave in his wake as his daughter ran ahead.

*

Jemma sat at her desk, staring at the desktop screen full of files. Personal, to edit (Journeying), to edit (Academic), unfinished articles (Journeying), unfinished articles (Academic), research (dendrotoxin), research (Erskine formula), research (Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmo), they all screamed at her for attention. She sighed and stood, there was a file of research Sweden cabinet, she could start there. 

"So," Elena started as she entered the room. "About this trip to the cottage in the woods? How much relaxing do you think you actually need?"

"Are you about to give me an assignment right before I go on holiday?"

"Here's the thing," she sat on Jemma's desk. "Davis was supposed to give me an article publish online Christmas day, but he's gone and gotten himself snowed in, in a laavu in Finland."

"Again?"

"So I'm in a bit of a pickle," Elena explained.

"Have you ever heard about the German tradition of the Christmas pickle? You see they-"

"And that," Elena cut off Jemma's tangent. "Is exactly why you're going to write me a two thousand word article on an old fashioned British Christmas."

"And old fashioned British Christmas" Jemma repeated, her jaw dropping. "Some how that's both broad and vague." 

"Think of it as a way of experiencing all the traditions you missed out on growing up," Elena suggested. "And I'm going to need it by the 23rd. So as some motivation and also because I'm an amazing friend, I booked you a cottage! It's in Cedar Grove. My treat." 

Jemma took the pamphlet Elena held out locked eyes with her. "This is bribery."

"Would I do that?" Elena placed a hand over her chest, fanning innocence before they both dissolved into laughter.

Jemma looked at the photo she'd been handed. It was the main street, the shops were all decked out in fairy lights, some white, while others shone red, blue, green and orange. There were green garlands wrapped strung along rooftops, and of course, a fresh layer snow covering everything. Jemma didn't think she could think of anything that screamed Christmas more. 

*  
"Ok, what's up?" Fitz asked as they arrived home. Daisy had been quiet all afternoon, and that only meant two things; she was plotting something that would likely result in him having to ground her or she was mulling over a question she wanted to ask but wasn't sure his reaction would be.

"I was just thinking that maybe we could do something else for Christmas this year," Daisy responded slowly.

"Oh, and where is this coming from?"

"We had an assignment in class today," she explained. "We could write about anything, so I wrote about Christmas."

"Really?" he raised an eyebrow, not at all surprised. 

"Yeah," Daisy nodded. "But one like we used to have with Grandma and Grandpa. We'd go to the mountains, there'd be snow, and everything smelled like Christmas trees."

"You remember that?" Fitz wondered, she'd been so young at the time.

"A little, it's fuzzy but a warm kind of fuzzy," she handed him the list she'd written. "Like when you wake up from a really good dream." 

"Make cookies, build a snow man, ginger bread house," he swallowed hard, as he read off the list. "That was your Grandma's favourite. I suppose you have someplace in mind?'

Daisy just gave him a wicked grin as she raced inside the house to find her S-pad. 

"Cedar Grove?" his stepsister Bobbi paused in setting the table and pulled out her phone, "I've never heard of that place before."

"I guess her best friend from school has been talking about it, nonstop," Fitz stirred the pot of soup on the stove. "She's even made a bucket list of things to do for the ultimate Christmas, and most of which involve snow."

"Oh, Fitz" Bobbi cooed taking in the photo of the main street. "This looks amazing. It's been a long time since we've been up to the mountains for a family Christmas."

"Or we just stay here," he turned off stove top. "I mean it's more important that we're together, right?"

"But this is what Daisy wants," Bobbi argued gently. "And she doesn't ask for much."

"I know," he sighed.

"Why don't I get this as a Christmas present for you two, I think it'd be really good for you."

"Bobbi."

"I'm going to find the best cottage you guys to stay in," she started poking at her phone, ignoring her brother completely.

"What about you?" If he was going to have to face this, she was too.

"I have some business to finish up in London," she looked up briefly. "But should be able to join you a few days later."

"Really?" an excited voice asked from the stairs. 

Fitz turned to Daisy sitting there on the steps to the upper floor of the house, listening in. She was almost vibrating with excitement at the prospect of her dream Christmas, her face alight with pure joy.

Bobbi turned back to her brother. "Now how can you say no to that?'

"I can't," he sighed, defeated. They were going to Cedar Grove.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Christmas Eve you guys! and a Happy Monday to those of you who don't celebrate Christmas. Here's chapter 2, enjoy!

Jemma was just finishing up her packing when her phone dinged; it was a reminder to give her parents a call. She checked the clock on her bedside table, it was just before noon, meant they should still be awake unless jet lag had gotten to them.

She tapped her Dad's contact smiled when he picked up on the first ring.

"Hey Honey," Phil greeted as he sat back in his chair. 

"Hi Dad," Jemma set her phone down and placed the final stack of folded clothes in the suitcase. "How's Tokyo?"

"We just got to the apartment a few hours ago, it's not too late you to join us if you'd like."

"You'll be in meetings the entire time, while Mum's busy executing ever which way she's found to break into the bank."

Phil laughed. "It's like you've met us before."

"Just a couple of times."

"Mum says hi," he told her as his wife ducked into the washroom for a shower.

"Hi back," Jemma grinned. "No, I'll wait until we can take a real holiday together, in the spring maybe?"

"Done," Phil agreed without hesitation. "So what far off exotic place are you jetting off to this Christmas?"

"Actually," she bubbled. "I've rented a cottage up in Cedar Grove, near the Cairngorms."

"Cedar Grove?" Phil echoed. "We haven't been there since you were a kid."

"I've been there before?" she had no memory of ever going to the Highlands.

"You were only four," her father grinned, that seemed like it was yesterday sometimes. "It was the Christmas right after Melinda, and I got married. Before we started the company." 

"I had no idea."

"It was wonderful," he gushed. "I think that was probably the last old fashioned Christmas we had together."

"We had an old fashioned Christmas?" Jemma closed her suitcase with a snap.

"Once upon a time," Phil joked. "Looks like you're about ready to have another."

"I guess so," she heaved the case off her bed and headed door. "I've got to get going, Dad, but I'll talk to you soon?"

"Of course Jemma," he agreed. "Love you."

"Love you too, bye." Pocketing her phone, Jemma put on her coat, tucking her hat and gloves into her pockets, she didn't need them yet. Grabbing a few bottles of water for the car, she headed out the door, she had a long drive ahead of her. 

It took over three hours to get to Cedar Grove, but it was worth it Jemma thought as she drove down the main street. It looked almost exactly like did in the picture. Streets wet with rain, but it was slowly turning over to snow, the promise of a white Christmas. Her old Bristol Britannia made a funny noise, but she wasn't surprised. This was the longest she'd driven it in months, and it was asking a lot of the old car, but it had never let her down before. She pulled up to the curb and doubled checked that she had to correct address. She was supposed to meet the man who was renting the cottages, but it looked like she'd arrived at a candy store instead. Stepping out of the car, she dialled Elena's number just to make sure she was in the right.

"Hey Jemma," a deep voice greeted.

"Mack," she smiled. "Is Elena there?'

"I'm here," the line became echoed, and she knew been placed on speakerphone. "So you got there alright, how is it?"

"It's like I stepped out onto another planet made up entirely of Christmas."

"Did I tell you that the man I rented the cabin from also owns the candy store?"

Well, that answered the question she had, as she looked up the sign that read 'Hunter's Candy Emporium' in bright circus style letters. "Why am I not surprised?"

"Just think about how good this will be for your writing," Elena suggested. "Have you figured out and angle for the article yet?"

"Not yet," she winced.

"My advice," Mack broke in. "Don't overthink it, just experience the Christmas magic and it'll come."

"Just the thing isn't it" she shook her head. "Not even sure that kind of magic exists."

"Well, at least it seems like you're in the perfect place to find out," Elena mused. "Maybe you'll even find some inspiration for that book you've been wanting to write about Dr Erskine and Steve Rogers."

"That would require me to stay in the same place for an extended period of time."

"It's been known to happen," Mack poked his wife in the side with a grin.

"To others," Jemma emphasised. "Alright, I should go find this cottage renting candy man before he takes adds on another profession, I'll talk to you guys later."

"Bye!"

When she entered the shop, the warm sugary smell hit her immediately. The shelves were full of chocolates, peppermints, gummies and more. On her way to the counter she picked up a large bag of honeycomb toffees and white chocolate peppermints, it was a holiday after all she could treat herself. "Excuse me," she called to the young man behind the counter. "I'm looking for Lance Hunter?" 

"That'd be me," the man smiled. "What can I do for you, Love?"

"Oh," she'd been expecting someone older. "I'm Jemma Simmons, I'm here to-"

"Hunter!" a man called from the front his arms full rolled up papers. "What do you want done with all these posters for the gingerbread house contest?"

"I told you, hang 'em in the front window," he turned back Jemma. "Apologies Miss, what was your name again?"

"Jemma-" 

"Oi Rusty," Hunter barked another man who was eating what looked like a chocolate pretzel. "Get off your duff and help Mrs McFarland!"

Jemma watched as the other man scampered to his feet and head over little old lady corner reaching up on her tiptoes for something on a high shelf.

"Sorry 'bout that, it's mad around here this time of year."

Jemma gave a gentle chuckle. "I'm just here to pick up some keys for a cottage rented under Jemma Simmons."

"Ah, my other job," he grinned devilishly and pointed around to the other side of the desk. "Pop on over here Love, we'll get you all sorted."

She watched him type away at a laptop for a moment. "Looks like you're up in Pine Ridge, that's wonderful, it's the best cottage my opinion. Is the other half of your party with you?"

Jemma shook head slowly. "No, it's just me."

"Must have read it wrong then," Hunter turned behind around and grabbed an envelope.

"What about the rest of these?" the man with posters was back. "We don't have enough windows for them all."

"One goes in every shop window between here and the community centre," Hunter ordered and then shrugged at Jemma. "Sorry, it's all about the gingerbread contest, Cedar Grove's version of Scottish Cup. Anyways this has everything you'll need, including a map to the cottage, routes highlighted for you."

"Wonderful," she took the offered package.

"Now we are in for a massive snowstorm in the next few hours, so I hope you got your winter tyres on, it's gonna be a mess."

Jemma tried to keep the shock off her face, she hadn't even thought about getting winter tyres. It went against her usual well-prepared nature, but to be fair on herself she drove her car so infrequently it's no wonder that it slipped her mind. She exchanged a few more words with Hunter as he packaged together her candy, and she made her out the door, almost crashing into a man and his young daughter on her way back to the car.

By the time she arrived at the cottage, the rain had completely turned over to snow, already leaving a thin white coat on everything outside. The cottage itself was stunning, an A-frame log building, two stories high, with a large covered front stoop. It was decorated lightly for Christmas, with white fairy lights lining the roof and in the trees that stood in the front, while garlands framed every window and a large wreath hung the front door. It was lovely

As gorgeous as the outside was, the inside was even better. It was warm and welcoming, with dark exposed beams that contrasted with the creamy plaster walls and a great stone fireplace in the living room. She set her bag on the table and inspected the fireplace closer; it was all ready to go she just needed to strike the match. And that's precisely what she did. While the cottage had heating, there was just something about a fire that couldn't be beaten. Happy with the result, she pulled the screen and set about exploring the rest of the cottage.

*

Fitz exited candy store with Daisy, a large bag of candies clutched in her small hands. The snow was falling even harder than when they had gone into the shop. "Come on, Sweetheart," he gave her a little push towards the van as she dug through the bag of sweets. "We'd better hurry, I don't want to be driving when this gets worse."

He drove carefully up the twisting mountain road as big puffy flakes fell from the sky, Daisy had her face pressed up against the window the entire way. When the cottage came into view, Daisy cooed. "Look at it Dad, it's like a postcard."

"It's beautiful," agreed as he threw the car in park. "Ready to go inside?"

"Yup," Daisy got out of the back and opened the trunk before Fitz could take off his seat belt.

He carried luggage up, and it rolled across the front porch to the door while Daisy looked left right at the decorations that were already up.

"It's pretty neat, huh?" he asked as he fished through his pocket for the key Hunter had given him.

"Uh-huh."

Fitz put the key in the lock, but there was no need it was already unlocked. "Huh?" It was curious, but maybe Hunter had forgotten to lock up when he left. "Alright," he gave the door a little kick open and gestured to Daisy. "In you go." 

Daisy spun around as they walked inside, taking it all in. "This is so cool." Fitz had to agree, it was impressive. "Can I check out the back?" Daisy asked as she made her way through to the living room.

"Of course," he replied. "Just stick close to the house okay?"

"Alright," she raced to the back door as fast as her legs could carry her.

Fitz took the house in for himself. Part of him couldn't believe he was doing this, but it was for his daughter, and she was clearly happy, and that's all that mattered. Much like the outside of the house, the inside was already lightly set up for Christmas. A garland of pine and poinsettia flowers lined the mantel along the fireplace, while the heat from the fire made the whole place even cosier than it already was. He was just about to move into the kitchen when the roaring fire made him do a double-take.

"That is not safe," he pointed at it, and a mental note to bring it up with Hunter when saw him again at check out.

He turned back towards the kitchen when he heard hurried footsteps heading his way, his daughter really only had one speed when she was excited. "Daisy, slow down," he called but then a blur much taller than his daughter turned the corner and charged straight at him, kicking at his leg. "What the…" he grabbed his knee in shock more than pain, looked up. A woman stood there, her fists raised, glaring at him.

"You have ten seconds get out of here," she threatened, her hazel eyes fierce. 

"What…what just happened here?" he stammered, as he straightened up slowly, his hands held out in defence.

"I'm serious," the women continued, never lowering her hands. "I know karate, and I am not afraid to use it."

The back door opened, drawing their attention, and both look over as Daisy walked back in already chatting away. "There's a sledding hill out there, it's going to be so-" she took in the scene before her and paused. "Whoa."

"It's okay Sweetheart," Fitz assured her never taking eyes off the woman in front of him as he held an arm out for his daughter. "This is just …it's alright."

"You broke in with a child?" the angry woman accused.

"We didn't break-in," Daisy piped up. "We used a key."

Fitz straightened fully and gestured between himself and his daughter. "I'm Leopold Fitz, this is my daughter, Daisy, and we're renting this place."

"This is my place!" she said indignantly. 

"I swear, the only thing I'm reaching for in my coat is my phone," Fitz reached into his pocket.

"Slowly."

"It's just a phone," He held it out between thumb and forefinger so she could see it clearly. At her nod, he opened the case and brought up his email. "Booking confirmation," he passed over the phone. "Lance…"

"Hunter," she finished finally dropping her balled fists. "Cottage rentals and candy man."

"Pretty sure there's only one."

"My confirmation is right there," she gestured to the cabinet.

"Great," Fitz tucked the phone away. "So…"

"So," she repeated, as much at a loss he was.

"So," Daisy began excitedly. "we're all gonna stay here?"

"No," hey said together.

But it did beg the question what were they going to do?


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Hope you guys enjoy!

Fitz and Jemma once again stood inside Hunter's candy shop watching the man poke away at his laptop.

"I'm really sorry about this?" he mumbled frowning at the screen. "I have no clue how this…Rusty, what did I tell you about sitting around eating candy? There's plenty of customers to help, off your bum and do it." He looked back at the pair before him and finished. "This happened."

"A mystery worthy of Sherlock Holmes," Jemma gibed under her breath.

"The important thing," Fitz cut in. "Is that we have a place for Miss Simmons to stay."

Jemma turned and glared at him again. "Firstly it's Doctor. And second, why do you assume I'm the one who's going to give up the cottage."

"Sorry, Doctor Simmons," he corrected then looked to Daisy who was browsing the candy again. "I have a kid."

"Really? You don't even hesitate to play the kid card?"

"My sister comes in tomorrow," he added.

"Yeah, well," she scrambled for a response and snapped her fingers in realization. "Your confirmation says that you only booked two days ago, which means that I booked first."

"There are three bedrooms in the cottage which is too big for one person," Fitz pointed out. "I rest my case."

"What you Mr Fitz, some kind of solicitor?'"

"An engineer, actually," he puffed out his chest. "And it's also Doctor."

"Oh, that explains it," she rolled her eyes. "And now I want to stay put even more."

"And what is it you do exactly?"

"I'm a Biochemist," she answered and heard him scoff. "But I'm here in my capacity as a travel writer." Maybe if Hunter knew there was the chance of a bad review, it could sway things her way, not that she would do that but he had no way of know it.

"Perfect," Fitz all but leapt. "I'm sure you're accustomed to accommodation inconveniences."

"Yup," Jemma nodded smugly. "Which is exactly how I know you'll have no trouble finding someplace else to stay."

"Uh, actually," Hunter broke in, drawing their attention back to him. "There are no other cottages."

"None?" they both bleated.

Hunter just shrugged at them. "Cedar Grove is always packed at Christmas. To be honest, I was all booked up by March. The only reason Pine Ridge was available was because of a last minute cancellation."

"Okay," Jemma gritted teeth. "What about someplace else near town?"

Hunter wrinkled his nose. "I called around when you told me what happened, there's nothing. I'm really sorry."

"Oi Hunter!" Rusty called. "Where'd you want the yoghurt raisins put again?"

"Out front, right over there," he pointed and let out a groan as the man headed in the opposite direction. 

Jemma and Fitz looked each other, as Hunter took off around the counter. They weren't going to get anywhere with him; they needed to work this out themselves. They left the candy shop, Daisy in tow, and strolled towards their cars.

Jemma let out a sigh and looked at the man beside her with a wry smile. "So there are no rooms at any of the inns."

"What an appropriate coincidence." 

Daisy was paying no attention conundrum at hand; instead, all her focus was on the snow that was coming down in fast large flakes. "This would be perfect for sledding."

Jemma looked down at the girl with a soft smile, them back to her father. "Fine," she declared. "Kid card wins, the cottage is yours." Fitz lifted his head in surprize, while Daisy only frowned up at her. "I'll head back to Glasgow with my Christmas cottage experiment shelved for the year."

"But it was snowing really hard, we didn't want to drive and was snowing bad, remember?" Daisy rushed to say, looking at her father, imploringly.

"Daisy, don't worry," Jemma soothed, touched young strangers concern. "I've motorcycled the Yungas Road in the dark, I can handle this."

"See," Fitz reassured his daughter with a nod. "She'll be fine."

Daisy let out a defeated sigh and nodded reluctantly. 

"Thanks for this," Fitz smiled at Jemma and took his daughter's hand. "We really appreciate it."

"Alright Fitz family," Jemma clapped hands together and forced out a laugh as she walked to her car. "Happy Christmas, and enjoy my cottage."

"Our cottage," Fitz called out jokingly, as he led Daisy to their own vehicle. "Thanks again."

Jemma shivered as she got into her car. She had no idea it could reach this cold in the UK. She turned the key, eager to get the heat started on for the only engine sputter and die. "Oh no, oh no," she twisted the key again, but once more, the engine failed to turn over. "Please don't be like this."

Daisy looked back when she heard a car making funny noises. "Dad," she pointed down the road to Jemma's car. Fitz looked up to the sky imploringly and marched down the pavement. 

"Start, start, start," Jemma begged her old car, and finally the engine purred to life. She beamed and ran her thumb lovingly over the steering wheel. Then a loud hissing rang in her ears as the engine once again died, only this time a burning smell filled the air along with the silence. Her shoulders sagged as she dropped her head onto the steering wheel, the horn blasting away, could this day get any worse?

There was a knock on her window, Jemma looked up and saw Fitz outside. Asked and answered she supposed as she reached across the car and rolled the glass down.

"How's it going?" he grimaced as the smell hit him.

"She just gets a little," Jemma searched for the right word. "Temperamental, when it's cold out."

"It's only going to get colder," he pointed out.

Jemma gave a stiff nod. "Fair point."

"Why don't you come back and stay at the cottage, at least until the storm passes."

Jemma looked at him, ready to refuse, but then she saw the sincerity in his blue eyes. Besides he had a kid with him, he wasn't going to try anything. "Just for tonight," she relented.

"'Just for tonight,'" he nodded. "Come on, I'll tell Hunter, and he can call a mechanic. You can warm up in the car with Daisy."   
*

Jemma pulled the decorative pillows off the sofa as Fitz stood by, sheets and pillows in hand. "I will be out of here just as soon as the shop gives me the okay," she assured and took the sheet laying it out over the cushions. 

"It's the alternator," Fitz offered and passed over a pillow.

Jemma raised an eyebrow. "How can you tell?"

"Uh, you can hear it," he explained. "And smell it, like a metallic rubbery burn."

"So I guess that old adage about engineers making worst mechanics isn't true?"

Fitz chuckled. "My stepdad and I used to fix up old cars."

"Huh," she nodded, taking in the new information.

"Care to expand on the 'huh?'"

"You just don't strike me as much of a car guy, I guess."

"How can you tell?" Fitz queried with a shrug. "We just met."

"You're telling me you don't get first impressions?"

"Not ones that specific, no," he shook his head as Jemma took the quilt from him. "Hey, are you sure you don't want to sleep upstairs in the third bedroom?"

"Oh no," she insisted. "Your sister's coming tomorrow, this way the room will be nice and fresh for her. And besides, I love sleeping next to a fire," she gestured to the orange glow. "After a hammock overlooking the ocean, I'd say it's my favourite place to sleep."

"'A hammock overlooking the ocean?" 

Jemma laughed at the stunned look on Fitz's face. "Don't knock it. The first time you fall asleep to Orion coming over the horizon, you realize you've just fulfilled a dream you never knew you had."

Fitz grinned at the passion in her voice. "I think I'm starting to get a bit of a feel for who you are."

"Oh yeah?" She challenged with a smirk.

"You're adventurous," he began.

"I am," she nodded.

"Rarely in one place for long?"

"All my life."

"Service Brat?" Fitz guessed.

"Sort of, minus the service," at his sly smile, Jemma explained. "My parents work in financial security, I grew up travelling the world. And tomorrow I guess I'm hitting the road again."

Fitz tucked his hands in his pockets and gave her a warm smile. "I can't thank you enough for letting us stay."

"No," she shook her head and gestured to the sofa. "Thank you."

"Well," Fitz cleared his throat. "Um, sleep well I guess, we'll see you in the morning.

"Goodnight Fitz," Jemma grinned and settled onto the couch. It had been a long day she was ready to drop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yungas Road is in Bolivia, please don't do as Jemma did and bike down it in the dark. Or the day. Or ever, just completely avoid this road if you can. Just google it. It's insane, and you'd have to pay me a massive amount of money to step foot on it again.


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Two updates in one day, Happy Holidays indeed. Honestly this is because I have no idea when I'll be able to update tomorrow, or if. Anyways guys once again have a great holiday and enjoy the chapter.

Daisy got out of bed early the next morning and looked out her bedroom window, there was a thick layer of snow everywhere. On the ground, her dad's car, the bushes and tree branches, it all glistened like millions of little diamonds in the early morning sun. She grabbed her dressing gown and headed down the stairs, she as quietly as she could. She didn't want to wake up her dad, or their guest, but she was itching to check on her sledding hill.

Coming into the living room, she saw the top of Jemma's head on the end of the sofa and tiptoed as gently as could. Creeping close she wanted to take a peek just to be sure the woman was really sleeping when the floorboard creaked loudly under her. Daisy winced and stepped back quickly as the woman shifted under the blanket and turned towards the noise, blinking herself awake.

"Sorry," Daisy frowned. She really hadn't meant to wake her up.

"Oh, don't be," Jemma moved her hair out of her face. "I was just about awake anyways."

Daisy stared curiously at her suitcase. It was full of stickers, each a one showing off a different country or city. "Are those from all the places you've been?" 

"Umm," Jemma looked at the case with bleary eyes. "Some of them, yeah."

"I want to travel when I get older," She sat on the sofa next to Jemma. "See everything."

"Oh yeah," Jemma smiled down at her. "There's quite a lot to see."

"I know, but I'm gonna see it all."

Jemma laughed and grabbed her S-pad. "Would you like to look through some of my travel photos while I go get dressed?"

Daisy's eyes went wide with excitement, all thoughts of sledding behind her. "Really?"

"Of course," she giggled at the girl's eagerness. She punched in her password and opened the files before passing it over. "Here you go, have at it."

"Thanks," Daisy flipped through photo after photo. There were bunches of them; some with Jemma, some without, there were city streets and tall buildings, to small villages and mud huts, and wide-open fields stretching as far as the eye could see to mountains soaring high into the sky, and so much more. It was incredible.

*

Fitz woke up with a groan as his S-Phone pinged. It was a message from Bobbi to give her a call on Facetime soon as he could. Getting out of bed with a groan he got dressed and headed downstairs for a cup of tea. Daisy was already up and busy on the couch, while Jemma was nowhere to be seen, though he assumed she was in the shower, given that he could hear the water running.

Taking his mug, he turned to his daughter. "I'll be back in a minute Dais, I'm just going to call your Aunt Bobbi, then I'll make breakfast." He heard a vague okay in reply, she was so absorbed in whatever she was doing and headed back upstairs to call his sister.

"So it looks like I'm stuck for a while," she said in way of greeting.

'What do you mean?" He asked.

"The snowstorm last night, it closed all the roads going into mountains," she explained.

"Well, how long is that going last?"

"Well, all the reports are saying it's going to be a day at least until they're cleared," looking at something else on her screen. "It also means that the guest you told me about last night is stuck too, even if her car is ready today."

Fitz pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed in frustration. They hadn't even been there for a full day, and already, this trip was turning into a disaster. They never should have come here.

"What's that about?"

"It's nothing," he scratched his beard.

"It's something," Bobbi insisted. "Is it this woman, what was her name again?"

"Jemma Simmons," he responded. "And no she's just…fine. This is all just unexpected that it."

"Jemma or Jenna?" she asked.

"Jemma," he repeated, slower. "Why?"

"Just curious."

"Barbara," he warned.

"Leopold," she matched his stare. 

A chime broke their contest Fitz read the message on his screen with a laugh. "Your niece just messaged me, demanding waffles for breakfast. I wonder where she gets that from?"

Bobbi shrugged innocently. "Well, you'd better get a move on then. I'll give a shout when I'm on my way."

"Alright, we'll see you soon," he waved at the camera.

As soon as Fitz signed off, Bobbi pulled up her search engine and typed in the name he had given her. They were family, and her brother had another thing coming if he thought she was just going to let this woman stay with them and not check her out. She could be a wanted felon for all they knew or worse a telemarketer. However, the first result that popped up on the name Jemma Simmons was a link to her bio on the University of Glasgow faculty site. Her CV was listed along with a photograph that fit the description Fitz had given her. What he had failed to mention, perhaps on purpose, was how gorgeous the woman was. Bobbi grinned at the photo of the smiling beauty and shook her head. "'Just fine' my ass. Good luck with this one little brother."

*

Fitz started back downstairs to get breakfast ready, going through the list of ingredients he would need in his head. He just passed washroom on the ground floor when the door opened, and Jemma crashed right into him.

"Whoa," he started as she let out a yelp of her own. 

"I'm sorry," she apologized as they both righted themselves.

"It's fine," he assured. "I mean at least you didn't try and pull out the karate this time."

"Well, the day is young," she joked with a smile.

"Speaking of days," he began. "I was just talking to my sister, and it looks like the storm shut down all the roads. So you're probably stuck here a while longer. But you're welcome to stay with us."

"Oh," she hadn't even thought of that. "That would be great, thank you."

"Of course," he grinned. "So what are you planning on doing for the day?"

"To try and get some writing done. I found a little office/attic space upstairs, so I figured I'd hole up in there, see what happens. But I call dibs, so don't go getting any ideas," she cautioned playfully.

"What? No roshambo?" he laughed. "It's all yours. Daisy and I are going to be busy working on her bucket list."

"Her what?"

"It's a list she came up with," he explained. "It has all the things she wants to do this Christmas. I think it's got about a dozen or so different activities on it."

"Well, that is very ambitious," Jemma praised. "You'd better get started, Daisy seems the type to not give up on something like that."

"Alright, we'll stay out of your way," he pretended to back up, his hands out as though expecting a blow.

"Have fun," she beamed.

"Good luck."

As it turned out Jemma really could have used that luck Fitz wished her as she stared at the blank paper in front of her. She had been trying to write for nearly three hours, but nothing was coming, her brain refused to spit out any viable ideas for the article. She tried all her usual writer's block tips, having a cup of tea, playing some relaxing music, pacing, but none of it worked. What was an old fashioned British Christmas anyways? Didn't that mean something different to everyone? And what would her hook be, maybe something that made it focus on Scotland? She knew that typical Christmas celebrations were banned for a time, the day not even becoming a public holiday in the country until the late 1950's maybe she could work that in. An old country that's still new to celebrating the holiday and trying to find a way to make it it's own. No that just sounded depressing, and not accurate, Scotland knew how to party at Christmas, and it was just as steeped in tradition as the rest of the UK even if it was newer.

Jemma dropped her head down on the desk with a frustrated groan. She was getting nowhere, and the 23rd was approaching fast. Downstairs the front door slammed, her temporary roommates had returned, she just hoped at least they had been successful in their little project.

*

Daisy sat on the couch, looking at Jemma's photos again while her dad measured the living room from floor to ceiling. She wanted a big Christmas tree, but he wanted to be sure that the one they picked would fit in the cottage. He had a point she supposed, what good would the tree be if it didn't fit right. 

"What are you looking at?" Fitz sat down next to her.

"Jemma let me look at it, it's all her travel photos," she turned the screen so he could see. "She had Christmases all over the world."

"Wow," he marvelled as he flipped through the images. "There's quite a lot of photos here."

"Yeah," Daisy sighed dreamily. "I want to travel a lot."

"Really?" he tried to mask his surprise, she'd never told him that before. "But then I would spend all my time wondering, where's Daisy? What is she doing? Is she having fun? Is she safe?" he pretended to hyperventilate.

"It's okay," she rushed to reassure him. "I promise I'll come home every Christmas."

"I'm holding you to that," Fitz smiled and brought his forehead down to rest on the top of his daughters head.

"Okay," she agreed.

"Okay?" he repeated, pulling her into his lap; his fingers wiggling at her sides.

"Okay," Daisy laughed as she tried to escape her father's tickling fingers.

*

Jemma made her way downstairs for another cup of tea, she was about ready to give it up as a lost cause for the day. It was quiet in the house, Fitz and Daisy were around somewhere she was sure, but she couldn't see or hear them. Setting her mug down on the table, she was about to get the kettle when a brightly coloured piece of paper caught her eye. Sitting down, she picked up the page, a list and read. 

'The Most Amazing Christmas,' it read in neat printing. Below was a numbered list of different activities, like making cookies, having a real Christmas tree, ice-skating and more. This must have been Daisy's holiday list, Fitz hadn't been kidding it was quite long.

"You ready for this," she head Fitz ask as they neared the back door. "I'm going to let you cut the thing down with your big ol' muscles."

"It's so exciting," Daisy clapped. 

Jemma smiled at the sheer glee on the young girls face as they came into the kitchen. Daisy gave her a cheery wave while Fitz nodded his head in greeting.

"How's the writing going?" he asked.

"Poorly," she admitted, then looked at what Fitz was carrying. "Why do you have a saw?" 

"Because trying to cut down a tree with my bare hands is inefficient," he deadpanned.

"Don't quit your day job, Doctor," she advised.

"We're getting our Christmas tree," Daisy explained excitedly.

"There's a tree farm near town, they let you cut down your own. So, bowsaw," he held up the object. 

"Yeah, I've been wanting to do this my whole life," the young girl proclaimed.

"Oh, that long, huh?" Jemma smiled at her. 

"Have you ever cut down a Christmas tree?" she asked.

"I have to say that in my whole life," she exaggerated the word as much as Daisy had with a glowing grin. "I never have; is it fun?"

"We're about to find out," Fitz answered.

"It's our new tradition," the girl gushed.

"Isn't that an oxymoron?" 

Daisy wrinkled her nose in confusion, while Fitz let out a little laugh. "While we've never done it before, but the tradition is old."

"Right old fashioned," Jemma trailed off, the way he explained it gave her an idea. "Which I saw on your list, it's very well thought out."

"And very long," Fitz patted Daisy on the shoulder. "We should head on out before all the good trees are gone.'

"Right, here's the thing," she started. "I have to write an article on an old fashioned British Christmas, but I haven't had one of those for as long as I can remember so…"

"So," Fitz encouraged.

"Would it be amenable to..." she wasn't sure how to ask. "Could I possibly tag along? Just to observe, I won't get in the way."

"You want to observe our Christmas?" Fitz raised an eyebrow. "You know we're not some gross, smelly, squishy thing, in a bio lab, right?"

"I know that," she huffed. "But I've been searching for inspiration for hours now, and Daisy I think your list is just the thing I've been needing."

"Christmas is for sharing, Dad," Daisy encouraged.

"It's fine with me," Fitz looked up at Jemma and winked. "But no test tubes."

"Not a one, I swear," she laughed. "Just give me one second, I'll meet you outside."


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, I hope that all you who celebrate had a very Merry Christmas, I am off to the third and final round (thank God) of family Christmases soon, so here, have a chapter before I have to drive to Burlington. Enjoy!

"Alright ladies, what about one these?" Fitz asked as they came across a patch of Fraser firs. They'd been walking around the Christmas farm for over an hour, and he was getting hungry and cold. But Daisy had insisted on looking at all the different types of trees the place had on offer. Each one so far had some kind of flaw. As he was happy that Daisy was having a good time, he really wanted to get back to the cottage and make some lunch.

"That one," Daisy pointed to a beautiful full tree a few feet away from them.

"Oh," Jemma cooed as they inspected it further. "That's a beautiful choice, Daisy."

"I think so too," Fitz concerned. "So we're all in agreement, this is the one?"

"Yes," they chorused, and Fitz passed the saw over to Daisy.

"Actually," she looked up at her dad. "Can Jemma do it?"

"I thought this was something you've been looking forward too," Jemma encouraged.

"Yeah," she acknowledged. "But you haven't done it before either, and you need help with your article. Besides, I have lots more time than you."

Fitz snorted with laughter. Tact was something they were working on, but clearly, his daughter needed a few more lessons. 

"Watch it you, we're right around the same age," Jemma warned him jokingly and held out her hand for the saw.

"You sure?"

"What you think I can't?" she challenged.

"No, I'm pretty sure you can do anything you set your mind to," he replied, passing the saw over.

"How would you know, we just met?" Jemma repeated his argument from the night before.

"I think we've spent enough time together for me to build an opinion based on observation and empirical evidence."

Jemma wrinkled her nose while Daisy cocked her head. "Are you sure you aren't a lawyer?"

"Positive," he answered.

"Aunt Bobbi is though," Daisy supplied.

"That explains it."

"By the way, the garage called while you were getting ready," Fitz told her. "It's the alternator."

Jemma laughed. "You're proud of yourself, aren't you?"

"Yeah, feels pretty good," he smiled. "They should have it all fixed up by tomorrow. In the meantime are we ready to cut this bad boy down?"

"Let's do it," Jemma got down on the ground then stopped. "Actually, Daisy, do you think I could get you to take my picture?"

"Sure," Daisy agreed. 

Jemma reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out her little point and shoot camera and passed it over to the girl. Daisy took it with a puzzled look on her face as she turned the camera over in her hands. It was like she had never seen a camera before, and that when it hit her, Daisy probably hadn't ever seen a camera like this before, not with smartphones getting as advanced as they were and her father working for Stark Industries. "It's an actual camera," she explained gently. "You just point at what you want to take a picture of and push the button on top."

"Pretty different from your phone, huh?" Fitz asked as he bent to show Daisy how it worked. 

"Alright," Jemma asked. "We ready?"

"Yup," Daisy called as she lifted the camera, snapping away happily.

"Here we go," Jemma set the saw and moved it back and forth against the trunk. It was harder than it looked, the blade started easily enough, but it got a lot harder to pull about halfway through. But she persisted, and soon enough the trunk gave way, sending the tree crashing to the ground with cheers from all of them.

"Good work," Fit clapped as he moved to right the tree. 

"Thank you," Jemma chortled and gave a little bow. "It really is a beautiful tree, nice choice, Daisy."

"One more picture?" the girl asked, holding up the camera. "Maybe one of you and my dad with the tree?"

"Sure," Jemma stepped closer to Fitz and placed her hand on the trunk to help him support the tree.

"Say Christmas Trees!" Daisy called from behind the camera as she lined the shot up the way she wanted.

"Christmas Trees!" they chorused and smiled wide for the photo.

Daisy grinned and held the camera out to Jemma. "Thanks, it was fun having a real one to play around with."

"Tell you what," Jemma offered. "How about you keep it."

"Oh no," Fitz started in. "Thank you, but that's-"

"Fine," Jemma finished for him. "I insist, 'tis the season after all. Besides I'm getting a new one soon anyway and this is better than throwing it out or it collecting dust on a shelf." 

"Are you sure?" Daisy asked. 

"I am," Jemma smiled at her. "I took all my travel photos with that camera, it's good luck."

"Thank you so much," the girl burst, hugging the camera close to her chest.

"Thank you," Fitz nodded. "That's very generous."

"Of course," Jemma shook her head. "But I could use some help with this tree."

"I got it," he laughed, picking up the tree and starting on the way back to the car.

*

Jemma and Daisy sipped at hot chocolate while Fitz tied the tree to the roof of his vehicle. 

"Daisy," a voice came from beside them. Another young girl and her mother made their way over.

"Piper," Daisy waved happily.

"Well, well," the mother smiled toothily looking between Daisy and Fitz. "Look who have here?"

"Hey," Fitz came down off the car and smiled as he held his hand out for a high five from Piper.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming to my neck of the woods," the woman asked as she pulled Fitz into a hug.

"I'm sorry," Fitz apologized and looked over to Jemma quickly. "We've been a little, distracted."

"I see," the woman turned to Jemma and smiled, holding out her hand. "I'm Jane, Jane Piper. My daughter, Prudence, who prefers to go by our surname," she added quickly as Piper squawked in protest. "Goes to school with Daisy."

"Jemma Simmons," she shook the offered hand. "It's nice to meet you."

"So are you guys here together?" Jane asked.

"No," they both insisted quickly. It was clear to Jemma that Jane was sussing out the situation because of her own interest in Fitz. 

"There was a reservation mix up," Fitz explained.

"Double booked," Jemma continued. "And then my car broke down, and then I got trapped by the storm. It's been an experience."

Jane frowned sympathetically. "I'm sorry that's rotten luck."

"Yeah," Jemma agreed. "But I'm heading back to Glasgow as soon as I can."

"That's unfortunate, you won't be here for Christmas. It's just amazing here this time of year," she looked back up at Fitz. "I'm so happy that you and Daisy are going finally going to get to experience it."

"Well it's about time," Fitz agreed. "I've been hearing you talk about it long enough."

"I practically deserve a commission," she joked, touching Fitz's arm.

"Not sure Hunter would like that."

"Oh, so you've met Lance," she smiled. "Isn't his shop great? Piper makes sure it's our first stop every year."

"I'm sure it will be Daisy's too," Fitz nodded.

"Though his bookkeeping could use a bit of work," Jemma cut in.

"That's true," Fitz chortled with laughter, while Jane looked between the two. "Anyways we should get this tree back."

"Of course," Jane beamed. "Well, now we know that you're here, I'll be in touch. There are so many fun events that you guys shouldn't miss. It was nice meeting you Jemma."

"You too," Jemma beamed.

"We'll see you guys later," Fitz said as Jane gave him another hug. "Let's go Daisy."

Fitz headed around to the driver's side of the SUV while Daisy gave Piper a quick hug goodbye. Jemma looked between Jane and Fitz, had he really not noticed how hard the other woman had been flirting with him?

*

When they got back to the house, they immediately set about getting the tree decorated. They brought some boxes down from the attic, and Fitz's sister was going to bring some more ornaments up when she came.

"I'll go get some more Christmas lights," Daisy said as Fitz stood back from getting the first strand on the tree.

"Good idea," he smiled as Daisy left to grab them.

"That is a good looking tree," Jemma came over with a box of ornaments she'd been sorting. "If I do say so myself."

"And you did," he joked.

"And I did," she winked. "You know I think Jane thought it was good looking too, amongst other things."

Fitz just shot her a look. 

"I'm just saying she is stunning and very interested in you."

"She is a parent in Daisy's school," he fussed with the lights.

"See how much you guys have in common."

"It's not like that," Fitz maintained. 

"If you insist," Jemma grinned.

Fitz took a deep breath, he needed her to understand. "The thing is…I haven't really dated in a long time." 

Jemma raised her eyebrow at him, so he explained. "Not too many women are interested in a guy with a kid. Besides, I was never really good at it anyway."

"What about Daisy's mum?"

"I adopted Daisy when she was two," he informed with a smile. "Yeah, I always knew I wanted to foster or adopt. I had it rough when I was younger with my real dad, but at least I had my Mum. Then I had Bobbi and Dan when they came along. Not everyone is that lucky. I guess I wanted to pay it forward or something."

"That's incredible," Jemma praised. "How did you come about Daisy? Through an agency or something?"

"No, actually, I was living in New York," he began. "Working a lot, making a really good living, but I wanted to do more, so I volunteered at a community centre, giving swimming lessons. One day an orphanage came in all the kids were a bit scared, I doubt they'd ever been near a lot of water before. But not her."

"She seems like a bit of a warrior."

"She just marched right up to the edge on these chubby little legs, jumped right into my arms," he laughed memory. "I think that's as close to love at first sight as there is. After a couple more lessons, I approached the nun that was with the kids about adopting her, and the rest is history."

"And your Mum and stepdad?" Jemma asked. "Are they not joining you this year?"

"Um, no," Fitz cleared his throat. "No, they, uh, they passed away, three years ago. Daisy was five."

"Oh," Jemma brought her hand to her mouth. "Fitz, I am so sorry."

"But Daisy told me that Christmas in the mountains was one thing she could remember about them, and then she came up the list."

"And that's why you're here," Jemma finished quietly.

"That's why we're here," he confirmed with a smile.

They fell into a silence for a moment, just looking at each other when Daisy came back with more lights. "Aunt Bobbi is going to love this tree," she beamed.

"She is," Fitz agreed, turning back to the task at hand. "Alright, read off that list again."

"Decorating a Christmas tree," Daisy read.

"Happening."

"Making Christmas cookies."

"Of course."

"Christmas movie marathon."

"Alright," Fitz nodded. "I think that'd be the perfect thing to do Christmas Eve."

"Building a gingerbread house."

"Oh," Jemma piped up. "I saw that there's a gingerbread contest in town. Hunter was getting some of the posters hung when I arrived."

Daisy looked up at dad with wide, excited eyes. "We gotta do it."

"We have to, huh?" Fitz teased. "It's a requirement?"

"Uh-huh," Daisy nodded. "It's number four."

"It's number four," he repeated to Jemma who was chuckling gently at the display.

"Well then you gotta," she shrugged.

"Oh, and ice skating," Daisy checked the list quickly.

"Perfect," Fitz smiled. "I saw a rink on the way into town, we can do that tonight."

"Awesome," Daisy looked to Jemma. "Do you ice-skate?"

"Uhh," she winced. "I've watched a lot of ice skating, especially when I lived in Austria."

"That's not quite the same thing," Fitz noted.

"You think?"

*

The rink was already full of happy skaters by the time they arrived. Fitz helped Daisy tie her skates and sent her on her way, Bobbi had taught her how to skate when she was younger, she had no issues on the ice. Then he turned to Jemma, who was watching the people on the ice. "Ready to give it a try?" He asked, holding up a pair of skates for her.

"Now or never," she replied and took the skates from him.

Fitz helped her onto the ice and watched as she tried to stay balanced. Her hands outstretched, bent over at the waist, legs far apart. It was reminiscent of when he was a teenager, and Bobbi took him skating for the first time. He knew it wouldn't be long before she went to the ground. Sure enough, almost as soon as the thought entered his mind, Jemma slipped and went crashing to the ground with a small yelp. 

"Hold on I'm coming," he skated out onto the ice and helped her stand. "Are you alright?"

"Just a bit of a bruised ego," she admitted.

"I'll give you points for determination," Fitz chuckled as she struggled to stay upright.

"It is one of my skills," she slipped again.

"Unlike ice-skating."

"Hey, I will be doing a triple axel in no time," she insisted.

"Of course," Fitz agreed. "Because you have a good coach."

"Because I never give up when faced with an obstacle," she intoned, grasping at Fitz's arm as she felt her feet start to slide out again. 

"Fitz," a familiar voice came from the other side of the ice. They turned and saw Jane skating quickly towards them.

"Hi Jane," Fitz smiled as Jemma dropped his arm. She didn't want to make the other woman think there was something between her and Fitz.

"Hi, Jenna," she greeted as she came to a stop in front of them.

"Oh, it's Jemma," she corrected. "Hi."

"I'm sorry," she said earnestly.

"Happens all the time," Jemma waved off.

"Well, I heard some good news," she clapped her hands. "The roads are opening up, so you should be able to head home as soon as your car is fixed."

"That's wonderful," Jemma beamed. "We hadn't heard yet, so thank you."

"Of course," Jane looked to Fitz. "More good news, I managed to snag two extra tickets to the local production of the Nutcracker." She looked at Jemma with a self-deprecating smile. "I would have gotten a fifth, but I assumed you would be on the way home by then."

"Oh, that's no problem," Jemma smiled. "You're right after all, but thank you."

"So, it's tomorrow night," Jane turned back to Fitz. "What do you say, you and me? Daisy and Piper?"

"Sounds like fun," he agreed.

"Fantastic! Then it's a date," Jane beamed as she started to skate away. "I'll see you then."

Fitz didn't need to turn to see Jemma's triumphant look, he could feel it burning into him. "Date is just a figure of speech," he refused to meet her eye.

"It is," she agreed. "One most often associated with going on a date."

"But it's not a date," he insisted finally turning to face her.

"Well a little hint from women's perspective," Jemma offered and pointed across the rink to Jane. "She thinks it's a date, or at the very least she wants it to be."

She watched as Fitz opened and closed mouth, struggling to find a rebuttal to what she said. "Alright," she was done watching him squirm and grabbed his arm again for support. "It's triple axel time."

"Alright, let's do this," he grinned and started pulling her across the ice.


	6. Chapter 6

"So what are you doing now," Elena spoke asked into the phone as she placed set down her last bag of Christmas shopping. "Following them around and taking notes?"

"No," Jemma insisted. "I am partaking in Daisy's Christmas list."

"Good," she said, but Jemma could hear the disbelief in her voice.

"I told you, I cut down the Christmas tree."

"And I am proud of you," Elena assured. "But is it helping? With the article, I mean?"

"It is actually," flipped through her notebook now filled with things she could include in the article. "I've had a mostly productive morning."

"Well, that's more than encouraging."

"And it's been fun," Jemma remarked. "The bruises from the ice skating aside."

"Of course."

"Plus," she added. "It is very entertaining watching Fitz act like this Jane Nutcracker thing isn't a date when it so obviously is."

"That doesn't bother you, right?" Elena prodded. 

"What?" Jemma was shocked, where had that come from. "No. Don't get me wrong Fitz is a nice guy, a little goofy maybe, but he's clever, and he's got a good heart. He should date whomever he'd like, he deserves to be happy."

"And you're sure you don't want to be the one making him happy?"

"I'm sure," Jemma insisted. "Besides, I'm leaving after his sister gets here."

"What's keeping you there now?" Elena queried. "The roads are open, and you have your car back, right?"

"I do. But I promised Daisy I'd help finish decorating the tree when her Aunt gets here, and that is the classic Christmas experience, right?"

"Especially with an adorable kid and her attractive single father," Elena mused.

"I never said he was attractive."

"Is he?"

Jemma took a second to think Fitz over; he wasn't the tallest guy around, but he had a decent build with a nice angular jaw, accentuated by his heavy stubble, a strong, straight nose, and kind deep blue eyes. "Only in the most conventional sense of the word," she offered.

"So obvious to anyone with eyes?" Elena confirmed.

"Yes," Jemma agreed.

"So he's handsome?" 

She could hear the smirk in Elena's voice and hesitated to answer. "Yes."

"And you totally like him," she grinned into the phone, and it only widened when Jemma didn't answer. "That word you're searching for, it's yes." 

"Elena if you see this woman he won't acknowledge he's going on a date with, I mean she's perfect."

"Good dodge, and there's no such thing as perfect," Elena insisted.

"Jane comes pretty close," Jemma countered. "She's beautiful and friendly and has her own cute kid. She is exactly the sort of woman a guy like Fitz would want."

"And minus the part about the kid, that's also you," Elena rebutted. "And do they have chemistry, because I've already told you, you can't fake chemistry."

The sound of a motor coming nearer made Jemma look out the window. On the pathway, she could make out what looked like Hunter and a blonde woman, likely Fitz's sister, on an ATV. "Hey I've got to go, Elena, I'll talk to you later."

"Hello, hello," the woman's voice rang out as she entered the cottage. "Anybody here?"

"Hey," Fitz greeted her happily. Daisy rushed her Aunt with a hug.

"Jemma," Fitz called. "Come over and meet my sister."

The blonde woman was tall, even taller than Fitz. And while Jemma knew they were step-siblings, she couldn't get over her eyes, they were just like Fitz, deep blue and full of kindness, with a twinkle of mischief that was missing from her brother's.

"Hi," Jemma stuck her hand out. "It's nice to meet you. I'm-"

"Jemma Simmons," she finished taking Jemma's hand with a dazzling smile. "Nice to meet you, too. I'm Bobbi Morse."

"I'm so glad you could make finally it."

"Me too," Bobbi took off her coat. "It's been quite the journey so far, let me tell you."

"I'm going to help Hunter with luggage," Fitz hugged his sister one last time and headed outside.

"Did you see the tree?" Daisy asked her Aunt excitedly.

"Tree? What tree?" she looked left and right, exaggeratedly. "I don't see a Christmas tree."

Daisy giggled and turned her Aunt around who gasped when she saw it. "Wow," she kissed the top of her niece's head. "That is beautiful."

"Jemma cut it down."

"Did she now?" Bobbi smiled over at her.

"Yeah, she travels a lot and had Christmases all over the world," Daisy explained. "But she hasn't had Christmas in the UK in a long time. Can you even remember last time spent Christmas here?"

"I can't," Jemma answered honestly.

"Well then," Bobbi beamed. "I am so glad our family could share the holiday with you. I am going to talk Fitz into making a roast of lamb for Christmas dinner, let me tell you that boy knows his way around the kitchen."

"I've noticed," Jemma smiled. "And that sounds but I'm out of here just as soon as my car is repaired."

"And when the bridge is fixed," Hunter came in with one of Bobbi's bags.

"Pardon?" Jemma couldn't have heard him right.

"The bridge is out," he said again. "Ice damage. It's why I brought Bobbi up back way by ATV. They should have it fixed by tomorrow morning. See you Fitz family."

"That means you get to stay here longer!" Daisy cheered.

She looked up at Fitz, silently asking if it was ok, and found him smiling at her.

"Alright," Fitz clapped his hands together. "By show hands who wants to finish decorating this tree?"

Both Daisy and Bobbi thrust their hands high up in the air. Fitz ducked down and lifted the two of them off their feet with a groan, and carried them the small distance over to the tree. Jemma giggled as she took in the scene, a little shocked he managed it to be honest, but it didn't matter as she joined the family at the tree. 

*

It was a lot more fun decorating the tree then Jemma ever realized it could be. They laughed as they stories and at Fitz's corny jokes, while Daisy snapped pictures with her camera. Jemma had no real reference for how it was supposed to be, but the warm feeling that filled her was one of the nicest things she had ever experienced.

Bobbi came in with another box when they were about halfway through their task. "What's that?" Daisy asked curiously.

"These are your ornaments, I brought from home," explained setting the box down. "I found them in storage in the attic, and I think it's time to bring them out, don't you?"

Jemma followed Bobbi's gaze up to Fitz, he had a hard look on his face. It made her wonder what memories lay in the box.

"Now this one," Bobbi pulled out a shiny green box and handed it to Daisy. "Has your name on it."

Daisy opened the lid and out pulled clear glass bulb and held it up for them all to see. It had bells jingling gently inside and writing on the front in gold script. 'Daisy's first Christmas' it read, adorned with a little holly leaf.

"Your Grandma and Grandpa made you that," Fitz cleared throat. "For your first Christmas with us."

Daisy smiled up father and hung the ornament on the tree. Jemma watched as Fitz looked away, emotions playing on his face. This must have been so hard for him. "What do you guys think about putting some of these on the tree," she pulled two handfuls of giant candy canes out from behind her back, trying to take the pressure off him.

"Candy canes?" Bobbi asked.

"One of my first Christmas memories is of one of our neighbours in Berlin, their tree was just covered in them, and I don't know, it just always seemed so festive."

"So you do have a Christmas tradition after all," Fitz looked back around, a small smile on his face.

"I guess so," she agreed. "I never thought of it like that."

"I love that idea," Daisy beamed, and Jemma handed her a few of the sugary treats.

"Alright, we got to make sure we get them all on the tree," Fitz declared and started scouting out locations to hang them.

"All of them?" Jemma teased and passed some over to Bobbi and Fitz. "Wheres the fun in that?"

Daisy turned away from the tree, and went over to her camera. "What's up?" Jemma asked as the girl turned the device over in her hands, studying it intently.

"How do you put photos onto the computer?" 

"You have to plug it in," Jemma informed. "There's a cord in the back of the case."

"Like a phone!" 

"Yeah," Jemma laughed and hung another candy cane. "Like a phone." 

"Thanks, I have an idea," the girl chirped. "For a project with the photos."

"What about?"

"I can't tell you," Daisy insisted. "It's a surprise."

A loud beep broke though the merriment and made them all jump. Fitz dug into his pocket and pulled out his phone, looking at the waiting message he let out a gentle groan.

"What's wrong?" Bobbi asked.

"Ah, nothing," he typed a quick reply. "It's from Jane, I lost track of time. Daisy, we need to get ready for the Nutcracker."

"But what about the tree?" she asked sadly.

"We'll finish it tomorrow, Jane and Piper will be here in fifteen minutes. We need to get ready. Go, go, go, go, go, go, go," he chanted, gently pushed his daughter out of the living room to the stairs.

"We won't stay out too late," he assured Bobbi and Jemma.

"Don't worry about us," Bobbi insisted. "I have plenty of wrapping to do."

"Oh, I can help if you'd like," Jemma offered.

"See, we'll be just fine," Bobbi smiled. "Go get ready."

"Have fun on your date!" Jemma called teasingly as he left the living room.

Fitz poked his head back into the room and gave a dramatic shake of his head as he shot Jemma a look. "Not a date!" 

*

Jemma flipped over the present she was wrapping to tie a ribbon around it and added it to the large stack of packages to her left. "I don't think I've wrapped this many packages since my family and I were staying with the Martens family in Belgium. All thirteen of them."

"Oh wow," Bobbi chuckled. "What about your parents, I mean, did you all celebrate Christmas?"

"Yeah, just from wherever we were in the world, which wasn't normally the UK."

"When Fitz and I were kids, Christmas was our favourite time of year. Our parents would always take us on a trip somewhere, either in the States or here, there was always snow. Alice would bake up a storm for days, and my dad, he'd always cook this delicious turkey. We haven't done anything like this in years. Not since…"

"Fitz told me your parents passed away," Jemma frowned sympathetically. "I'm really sorry. It must have been so hard.'

"Yeah," she sighed. "It was. Fitz has just seemed a little lost ever since. More closed off and…protective, I guess, of Daisy and himself."

"That's understandable."

"But it isn't sustainable," Bobbi shook her head. "He's always been a bit shy and quiet, but he used to be so much freer. I just wish he'd find his way back to that, open himself up again."

"Well, maybe he'll meet someone who will help him do exactly that."

"Yeah," Bobbi smiled at her. "Maybe, he will."

They finished up the wrapping and put gifts back in Bobbi's room, waiting Christmas eve. They made some tea and went to the sofa, Jemma with materials for her article and Bobbi with files for work. Putting her notebook down Jemma reached for her mug only to find it empty, looking at the clock, she found nearly two hours had passed since they first sat down. "More tea?" she asked.

"Sure," Bobbi handed over her mug. "Thank you."

Jemma went to the kitchen and put the kettle on. Reaching for the tea, she saw the headlights of a car pull up. Looking out the window, she saw Daisy and Fitz get out of the car, Jane only a few steps behind them.

"...a great time," she heard the woman say, and watched as she pulled Fitz in for a hug.

Jemma felt a funny pull in her stomach as she took in the scene, and the group said their goodbyes. Turning away from the window before they caught her looking and she readied the cups for tea.

"Hey," she greeted as Daisy danced into the kitchen. "How was it?"

"So much fun," she sighed dreamily as Bobbi came over.

"Aren't you tired?" she asked her niece, it was rather late.

"Not me," Daisy insisted as she slumped back against Fitz, her eyelids dropping heavily before she forced them open again. They laughed as Fitz patted Daisy's arm.

"Oh hey," Jemma looked up at Fitz. "The garage called and they're going to bring my car by here tomorrow afternoon when the bridge re-opens."

"So you're leaving?" he asked.

"No!" Daisy snapped to attention, seemingly wide awake.

"Dais," Fitz intoned gently. 

"But she's going to be alone."

Fitz looked up at Jemma, who in turn looked down at the young girl with a soft smile. "It's alright, Daisy, it wouldn't be my first time."

"Stay," Bobbi insisted. "I mean you're clearly having fun."

"The company has made it wonderful," she admitted with a smile.

"So keep the company," Bobbi shrugged like it was the simplest thing in the world.

"Dad?" Daisy looked up at Fitz hopefully.

"It's up to Jemma," Fitz smiled at her. 

Daisy turned hopeful eyes on her at her father's words. Jemma couldn't believe it, how generous they were being, sharing their holiday with her, it was incredible. She grinned down at Daisy. "As long as I get my article finished, then I don't suppose it could hurt." 

"Yes," laughed as the little girl pumped her fists in the air, jumping around the kitchen with glee.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	7. Chapter 7

The next morning Jemma returned to the cottage from grocery shopping with Fitz. They were going to get started on their gingerbread house that night and needed plenty of supplies.

"So how's the writing going?" He asked, pulling the shopping bags from the boot and passing one to her.

"Slowly," she admitted, as they walked up to the house. "But at least it's going. What about you, do you have any work waiting for you when you get home?"

"Plenty. I just came off the tales of a bunch of meetings," he shuddered. "But I got approval for my next project so now I have to get started on all that." 

"So did you always work for Stark Industries?" she asked.

"No, actually. I used to work in the public sector, military contracts mostly. It was intense, the deadlines and the sheer amount of projects, I was working far more than I should."

"So what made you make the switch?"

"Mum and Dan," he admitted. "Mum always begged me to work fewer hours, but it was difficult. Then after they were gone, everything changed. I didn't have them there to help me with Daisy, and she needed me more than my job allowed. But Tony Stark had been after me for years, and he offered me a more than fair deal that gave me hours that worked well with my new reality. So I jumped at the chance."

Jemma nodded sadly as he spoke. It wasn't fair that he'd had to go through that kind of loss. It wasn't fair for anyone too of course, but it seemed especially unfair to the family she'd come to know over the past few days. "I'd say that's wonderful, but it doesn't quite sound right."

"I know what you mean," Fitz smiled. "Come on, let's get this stuff inside."

"Alright," Fitz took a sip of apple cider, a pen and pad of paper sat in front of him on the kitchen table. "What do we need to do to make this best gingerbread house ever?"

"An ice rink in the back garden," Daisy said.

"Perfect," Bobbi held out her hand to high five the girl. "I can make some pale blue frosting for it."

"Great"' Fitz scribbled it down and looked across table Jemma smirk. "But I think we need fallen ice skater though, for authenticity."

"That's mean," Jemma crossed her arms face, as the table erupted in giggles.

"Okay," Fitz continued when they all calmed down. "What else?"

"Pine trees," Jemma suggested. "We can use pretzel sticks with green Rice Krispies or overturn a sugar cone and layer it with green gumdrops."

Fitz looked at her, stunned. "How do you know all this?"

"When we were in Paris we lived next to a bakery," she explained then put on faux air of sophistication. "You'll find I am a wealth of trivial information like that."

"As we're learning," Fitz added her idea to the page.

"What about the roof?" Daisy asked.

"We could use digestives with brown frosting, or maybe some almonds for shingles."

"Not almonds," Jemma winced before she could stop herself.

"Why?" Daisy asked. "Are you allergic?"

"No. It's a long story," she begged off, but the other three just leaned in expectantly. She rolled her eyes and began. "Are any of you familiar with Swedish Christmas rice porridge?"

"Nope," all three shook their heads.

"Let's just say I'm recently single and holding a slight grudge against a certain drupe because of it."

"Interesting," Fitz raised an eyebrow.

"How about white frosting?" Bobbi changed the subject to Jemma's delight. "As snow all over it, what do you think?"

"Perfect," Jemma jumped. "Snow, everywhere." 

Fitz gave a curious shake of his head but wrote the plan down on his sheet anyway. A few more ideas and they'd be able to get a sketch going and hopefully start on building later that evening.

*

That afternoon, with their gingerbread house thoroughly detailed, Bobbi kicked them all out of the kitchen to start on baking. So Daisy took advantage and begged Fitz and Jemma to go outside with her to build snowmen. It was number five on her bucket list after all. 

"Finishing touch," Daisy announced as she took off her hat and placed it on her snowman.

"It looks great," Jemma smiled brightly as she placed the spare headband she'd brought out on her own.

"It's a wonderful look for your snowman," Fitz agreed. "But you need to go back inside and get yourself a new hat because I'm pretty sure that snowman is now warmer than you are. We don't want any colds for Christmas."

"Okay," Daisy nodded. "But first, picture time!" She reached into her pocket and pulled out her camera.

Fitz and Jemma each struck a funny pose while Daisy giggled and readied the camera. "Say snowflakes."

"Snowflakes!" They chortled while the girl snapped a few pictures.

"There, that's perfect," she looked up at Fitz. "Can I take my camera to Piper's party?"

"Of course," Fitz nodded.

"Cool, thanks Dad," she tucked the camera back into her pocket and raced back to the cottage. "I'll go get my hat, be right back."

"Party?" Jemma asked.

"Yeah," Fitz wrapped a scarf around his snowman. "Apparently Jane throws a party for all the families that are in town. She made sure to invite you and Bobbi."

"Oh, that's nice of her." 

"She's a nice person."

"I take it your date went well," Fitz shot her a look of annoyance, and she giggled. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'll stop."

"So, you're currently single," he countered. "Is that why you came to spend time alone for Christmas?"

"A little," she nodded. "I came out here, gather my thoughts, see if I could figure out why I haven't settled down. Then my friend took advantage of my alone time."

"And then we barged in," he supplied.

"Which has proven to be more than helpful," she pointed out.

"Happy to be of service."

"It's been different," she mused. "Actually doing all these things, decorating the tree, building this girl here. I didn't realize how much I'd been missing. Now I just need to figure out the angle for this article."

"So back to this whole almond thing," Fitz changed gears. "How does that play into you being single?"

"To be fair, it wasn't entirely the almonds fault" she shrugged. "The break up was inevitable."

"Why?"

"We weren't together enough.'

"Because of your travels?"

"And his," Jemma explained. "But also there was just something missing."

"Dad!" Daisy hollered from the door. "Aunt Bobbi says the gingerbread is done, we can start building now!"

*

Jane greeted them not long after they walked in the door of her extravagant cottage. "Hey guys, I'm so glad you could make it," she beamed as they took off their coats. "that's a beautiful dress, Jemma."

"Oh, thank you," she smoothed the emerald green dress wearing down and looked at Jane's deep burgundy one. "You too."

"Daisy, Piper's upstairs making ornaments and watching Christmas movies with other kids if you want to go up," she smiled down girl.

"Can I?" she looked up at her Dad.

"Of course," Fitz nodded, and the four adults laughed as Daisy took off weaving through other partygoers.

"Help yourselves to everything," Jane gestured as she led them deeper into the house, where caterers carried numerous trays of drinks and food. "I'm just going to steal Fitz for a minute, there are a few other parents I wanted to introduce you too."

"Oh," Fitz nodded in surprise as Jane tugged on his arm. "Great."

"She really is a lovely person," Bobbi watched as Jane led her brother to the other side of the room.

"So lovely," Jemma concurred.

"And smooth," Bobbi had to give the woman props.

"So smooth."

"Eggnog?" 

"So yes," Jemma smirked.

*

Jemma made her way to the bar and grabbed another glass of eggnog, drinking deeply. She'd left Bobbi with Hunter after the two had gotten into a debate about mushroom soup of all things, but with nothing useful to add, she left them to it. She sighed and rubbed her tired eyes, while logically she knew it hadn't been that long it felt like they'd been at the party for hours. Usually, she could be at this kind of thing for hours and enjoy herself, she was enjoying herself, but she had other things on her mind. 

"You know what would make me very happy right now?" Jemma jumped a little as Fitz came up beside her and leaned against the bar.

"What's that?"

"Going home, making tea," he listed. "And working on our gingerbread house."

Jemma set drink down and turned towards him excitedly. "Okay, so it isn't just me, because I have been thinking about using a chocolate bar as a front door all night."

"Gingerbread nerd," he teased.

"I think you're just jealous that you didn't think of it first."

"You'd be right about that," they fell into laughter. "I'll grab Daisy and Bobbi."

"I'll get the coats."

And that's precisely what they did. Jemma found herself more awake as all of four of them gathered around the kitchen table in their cottage, mugs of in hand and their building supplies spread out before them, laughter in the air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	8. Chapter 8

The next morning arrived, bright and sunny and freezing cold, it was the perfect morning to stay tucked up inside. Jemma had finally started making some headway on her article; it had hit her as she was making some tea, a lovely Christmas blend that Fitz had found in town. As the notes of cloves and cinnamon hit her, she suddenly knew exactly what she wanted to write. She rushed upstairs to her laptop and typed away, writing down the words as they flowed through her, barely even having to check her notes as she went. She had no idea how long she'd been working until Daisy came into the room and told her that it was time to leave for the contest. Happy with what she had gotten done she got ready with bells on.

The competition was hosted at the Cedar Grove community centre, and it was packed to the rafters when they arrived, Christmas music pumped through the speakers as people milled about looking at the various cookie houses on display. There were twenty-seven entries in all, theirs was number twelve, it had to be lucky Daisy had insisted, there were twelve days of Christmas after all. They took turns going around and seeing all the displays, someone staying with the house at all times in case the judges asked questions about their design choice. 

"Gather 'round everyone," Hunter's voice boomed over the loudspeaker. "The judges have made their decision."

"Do any of them have an ice rink?" Daisy asked Fitz as he back scoping competition.

"Nope just ours," he confirmed and passed a hot cider to Jemma with a wink. "And our gumdrop trees, they're the best."

"Yes," Daisy pumped her fists and turned to high five Jemma and Bobbi.

"Alright," Hunter cleared his throat. "So there were lots of amazing entries this year, but just like last year our judges have come to a unanimous decision."

"Alright guys, let's cross our fingers," Bobbi wrapped her arms around Daisy.

"The winner is…" Hunter opened and envelope. "Number twelve!"

Applause erupted from all around as Hunter came down handed a beaming Daisy the trophy. A photographer came over and asked for a picture of the winning family for the local paper. Jemma took a step away as Fitz pulled Daisy and Bobbi close.

"What are you doing?" he asked, holding a hand out to her.

"Oh no," Jemma waved him off. "Do a family thi-"

"Are you kidding me? You're a big part of this," Fitz pulled her over to join them. Daisy hugged her around the middle as they all posed for the photographer.

It was late by the time they got back to the cottage, the party at the community centre had gone on for a few hours after the competition. Fitz sent Daisy up to bed immediately and followed to get her tucked into bed.

"I am so proud of you, Sweetheart," told her as she to under the covers.

"We did it together," she beamed at him.

"True, but without your suggestion, we'd still be in Glasgow and not here cuddling trophies," he playfully tapped the one clutched in her arms.

"Can we come here again next year?" 

"You bet," he kissed her forehead.

"And can we invite Jemma?" she asked hopefully.

"Yeah, I don't think that's going to happen, Dais," Fitz said gently.

"Why not?" she pleaded. "She's been a part of everything and a big part this why this has been much fun."

"True," he agreed. "She is an unexpected plus. But you have to understand that Jemma has her own life, a very full one. And I'm sure it will take her somewhere else next year."

"But it doesn't hurt to ask, right?"

"Ok, I'll ask," he relented and headed to the door. "Get some sleep."

He went downstairs and saw Bobbi reading a book by the fire, but their guest was nowhere in sight. "Where's Jemma?"

"She took her laptop outside," she answered. "She been out there since we got back, I think she's hit a hot streak."

"Well that's good," Fitz eased himself down beside her.

"Daisy, asleep?"

"Sleep of champions," he confirmed. "She asked if we could come back here again next year."

"Well, I'd like that," Bobbi said. "Besides, I can't let Hunter go on thinking he has the best mushroom soup recipe." She watched as a small quirk in the corner of Fitz's mouth, but she could tell there was nagging at him. "What's wrong?"

"She also asked if we could invite Jemma."

"It doesn't hurt to ask," she shrugged.

"That's what Daisy said," he sat forward, head in hands. "But it kind of does though."

"How do you figure?"

"Come on, Bobbi," Fitz lamented. "There's no way she's going to say yes."

"Since when can you predict the future?"

"Jemma is a clever, adventurous, independent woman, who has travelled the world," Fitz shook his head. "She's not looking to settle down, and there is no way she's going to want to spend next Christmas here again in Cedar Grove."

"She's spending this Christmas with us in Cedar Grove,' Bobbi pointed out. "The roads are clear, the bridge is repaired, her car is fixed, she decided to stay."

"Yeah but that's different, that's this Christmas," Fitz argued. "It's kind of fun and spontaneous. It's another one of her stories that she's going to be able to share sometime…in the future…with someone else, she meets along the way."

"Seems like you may be the ones making the stories here Fitz," Bobbi stood and kissed the top of his head. "Just ask her."

Jemma wrapped a blanket around shoulders and leaned against the railing of the back porch, looking up at the stars. The sky was so amazing in the wintertime with the blue twilight reflecting off the snow it somehow made it more majestic than any other time of year. She heard the back door open and looked over her shoulder as Fitz came up behind her.

"Where's Orion?" he asked quietly. 

Jemma looked south for a minute and pointed. "Right there, see the three stars, that's his belt." Fitz followed her finger and took it in, not just the constellation but all of it. The night sky was so much, well, more, here away from the city lights. "Then if you look just over there," Jemma move her finger just east of the moon. "That's Leo."

Fitz glared at her, and she laughed.

"Well, as beautiful as that is, this is not a hammock overlooking the ocean. I would highly recommend sleeping inside tonight, it is frigid out here."

"I noticed," she chuckled. "But fortunately I have a fireplace to snuggle up next to, get some more writing done."

"So you finally figured it out?"

"I did," she smiled. "The hard part now is keeping it under two thousand words."

"Still. That's fantastic news, right?"

"Yeah, it is," she confirmed. "For the article, but also for myself and this book idea, I've been toying with for the last few years."

"A book?"

"I've always been fascinated by Doctor Erskine's supersoldier formula, the biochemistry of course but also the history and the people, it's all fascinating. But every time I've sat down to do some writing, I've hit a wall. But now I finally feel like I've found a place start."

"Well now I'm intrigued," Fitz grinned.

"You can read it when it's done," Jemma bumped his shoulder.

"How does it feel?" he asked. "To get it going again?"

"Good, and that isn't always the case with writing or lecturing."

"I thought you loved it?"

"I do," Jemma shook her head. "But lately I've been thinking about slowing down, taking a break from so much travelling. To focus on the book or even my own research. I don't want to lecture on one thing forever."

"It's funny," he tucked his hands into his pockets.

"What?"

"Lately I've been thinking the opposite," he admitted. "Daisy is getting older, she's so curious, about the world and how it works, I think she's old enough to appreciate going out and seeing it."

"Well curiosity is important," Jemma noted. "It's how we grow."

"I feel like I've forgotten how to be curious," Fitz smiled ruefully. "How to be open, it's like I've been locked away in an attic or something. When Daisy asked to come here, every part of me was screaming out to say no, and that was never who I was. It's never who I wanted to become."

"Well, I'm glad you said yes," Jemma turned to face him fully.

"Yeah?" he blinked.

"Yeah," she breathed. "I wouldn't have met otherwise."

Fitz beamed down at her, there was a look in his eyes that she couldn't identify, but she knew she never wanted to see it leave. She felt a pull in her stomach, and it was like the world just faded away until it was only the two of them. She tilted her head up as Fitz leaned down, she could feel his breath as it dusted across her cheeks.

"Dad!" They sprang apart as Daisy's voice called from inside. "Can I a glass of water please?" 

Jemma turned away and tucked a piece of hair behind her ear, while Fitz looked up at the sky imploringly. 

"I should probably," he pointed towards the house.

"Yeah, I'm right behind you," Jemma forced a smile. "I just want another minute to stargaze, it's been a while since I've seen them like this."

"Just don't forget come in from the cold," he nodded and headed inside. "Coming, Daisy."

Jemma watched as he disappeared into the cottage and dropped her head. That felt like it could have been a moment, but was it the moment? Did she even want it to be?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	9. Chapter 9

Jemma sat at the kitchen table the next morning smiling down at her laptop for the first time in what felt like forever. The article was complete, more importantly, she was happy with it, thrilled even. It had turned out exactly as she had wanted it too. Now she just had to hope that Elena felt the same way. She emailed it off, with the promise to call on Christmas day. The only thing she wanted to do now was to call her Dad.

"Jemma?" Phil sounded worried as he answered. "Is everything ok?"

"Fine," she assured. "Everything is fine. I just finished the article, and I wanted to hear your voice."

"Well, in that case, congratulations," she could hear the relief and happiness in his voice. "How's Cedar Grove?"

"Amazing, it's one of the most beautiful places I've ever been," Jemma declared. 

"Now that's saying something," Phil chuckled.

"It is. And you remember how I emailed you about the reservation mix up?"

"I do," he nodded. "Everything sorted itself out, I assume."

"It did, I actually wound up staying with the family," she told him. "We've been going around doing as many old fashioned traditions we can think of, and it's just been…"

"Christmas magic?" he finished teasingly.

"Yeah," she agreed, surprising even herself. "Christmas magic. It got me thinking, why don't we have any Christmas traditions?"

"But we do," Phil insisted.

"We do?"

"Well, for both May and me most important thing is that we were all together for Christmas," he started. "It didn't matter where in the world we were it was always the three of us."

"Like an equal lateral triangle," Jemma smiled sadly. It had been a joke from when she was a child and learning about the different kinds of triangles. "But…we aren't anymore."

"We always invite you to join us," he put in, not accusatory in any way. "But you're an adult now, Jemma. You have your own life to lead. And we couldn't be more proud of you for that."

Jemma swallowed, hard, she really wished he were here with her, she could use one of his hugs. "Dad? Can we make sure the three of us are together next year for Christmas? Maybe even come up here to Cedar Grove?"

"That sounds like a great idea," Phil grinned. 

*

Fitz walked into the kitchen for some tea, whistling as Christmas carol as he went, when he saw Daisy working intently on something at the table. "What are you up to?" 

"I'm making a stocking for Jemma," she held up a red sock decorated with glitter and Christmas pompoms. "It isn't as pretty as ours…"

"She's going to love it," he assured before she could finish.

"Do you think we'll see her after Christmas?" asked returned to work. "She lives in Glasgow like us."

Fitz wasn't sure what say to that, he hoped so, but he had no idea. Luckily he was saved from answering when the door opened and closed and Jemma walked in from the back.

"Good morning," she greeted.

"Morning," Fitz smiled and held up a cup. "Tea or coffee?"

"Oh, tea, please." 

Bobbi walked into the kitchen, looking down at her phone. "I just got a text from Hunter. They're expecting another storm tomorrow sometime, so they've moved the Christmas hayride up, and they're holding a bonfire after if we wanted to go."

"I want to go on a hayride," Daisy piped up.

"Is it on the list?" Fitz teased.

"It is now," she made a show of writing it on her list. "It's number fourteen."

"Do you want to join us?" he asked Jemma, not sure if she had other plans.

"Sounds like fun," she smiled. "Count me in."

And it was fun. Sitting in a wagon pulled being pulled behind a tractor, singing carols with other families, as Daisy took picture after picture. When the cart let them off the fire was already roaring. And it was welcome, while it hadn't been as cold as it had previous days the humidity was higher and that made it cut through their winter layers even more. There was also hot chocolate and cider, coffee and tea, and many, many treats for them to eat while they gathered. It was perfect.

Jemma sat by the fire with Fitz, holding some marshmallows on sticks near the flames, while Daisy went off with Piper and a few other children, and Bobbi argued with Hunter once again.

"I have a critical s'more question for you," Fitz began seriously. "The marshmallow? Do you scorch, slow roast, or, and please say no, leave it uncooked?"

"You know I don't think I've ever actually had a s'more before," Jemma thought.

Fitz's jaw dropped in pretend shock. "Say what? Never, not once in all your travels?"

"Nope," she giggled.

"Well, that glaring oversight is soon to be corrected," he promised.

"Good."

"And, just to brush you up on your s'mores education, the correct answer is slow roast," he leaned in almost conspiratorially.

"Slow roast," she nodded in faux seriousness. "Got it."

"I'll go get us the other ingredients," he passed her his stick and rose from the fire.

Almost as soon as her Dad left, Daisy came over with her camera. "Say cheese!"

"Cheese," Jemma held up the stick by her face and pulled a goofy grin. "Is this for your photo project?"

"Yup," the girl confirmed, looking at what she had just taken.

"Oh, when do I get to see it?"

"When it's ready," Daisy answered. "Are you having fun?"

"I am," she smiled. "I don't think I've ever been to a more fun Christmas bonfire."

Daisy beamed up at her, and left when she was called over by Piper. Watching as the girl went with her friends again, Jemma looked over to the table to see where Fitz was. He was still there, loading a plate with chocolate-covered digestives when she saw Jane approaching him from the side. She felt a familiar clench in her stomach, the same one she realized she felt every time she saw them together.

"So was I right about this place or what?" Fitz heard Jane asked as he readied a plate for him and Jemma.

"You were so right," he conceded. "This place made Christmas special again."

"And Jemma?" she asked, looking at the other woman over by the fire. "Is she having a good time?"

Fitz smiled in Jemma's direction and looked back to Jane. "Yeah, I think so."

"I'm glad," she insisted, a knowing look on he face. Fitz opened mouth to say something, anything, but Jane cut him off. "You'd have to be blind not to see the chemistry between you two. And I'm not interested in chasing after someone who's falling for someone else."

"I don't know when, or how," Fitz admitted, he felt like he should apologize. "It just kind of happened."

"I'm happy for you," she placed a hand on his arm. "Not everyone gets to experience that kind of magic."

"You're a scientist Jane, you should know magic isn't real," he argued playfully.

"But sometimes it's the only answer." 

"Thank you," he opened arms for a hug. "Happy Christmas."

"Happy Christmas."

Jemma watched the whole exchange, her stomach twisting all the while. They looked so comfortable with one another. They were both attractive, they got along, and they seemed to fit together so perfectly. She needed something, a sounding board, to get the thoughts that were screaming in her head, her heart, out. She placed the marshmallow sticks on her seat and left the fire pit to call Elena.

"Hey," her friend greeted at once. "The kids are in bed, but you got Mack and me."

"I need help," Jemma admitted. "I'm spinning out."

"Fitz?" Elena guessed. "I thought you two almost kissed."

"Yeah, but we didn't," Jemma shook her head. "And now he's talking to perfect Jane, and they look happy and perfect, with their laughing and touching arms, and well-suited lives."

"Is this what we sounded like?" Mack asked. "I don't miss this part."

"And with what Will said about how no guy is ever going to want to be with me because I travel too much. I just, I don't know what to do."

"He said what?" Mack barked. 

"That is not how I remember you telling it," Elena soothed both her friend and her husband.

"Especially a regular guy with a kid," Jemma continued, not hearing what Elena had said.

"Look, you need to snap out and focus," she encouraged.

"Yeah," Mack agreed. "Remember, communication is key. Find Fitz and spell it out for him. Tell him what you're feeling and see if he feels the same. Hit him over the head with it if you have to, speaking on behalf of all men, we can be more then a little dense."

"Are you crazy?" Jemma's jaw dropped. "People don't do that."

"I say grab him and kiss him, you'll find out how he feels either way," Elena offered. "I mean that's how I got Mack."

Jemma pulled the phone away from her ear and gave it a stunned look, how were these people her best friends? "You're saying my options are either elation or mortification? No, in-between?"

"Not when it comes to love," Elena insisted.

"Yup," Mack agreed. "Now I got to go check on the kids, then communicate with my wife that there is a limit to how many Christmas soccer fixture's one American ex-pat can watch in a day. Good luck."

"No, there isn't," Elena called to her husband's retreating back. "You'll be fine Jemma, just take a risk, you'll be surprised how well it can pay off."

Jemma said her goodbyes and hung up the phone with a sigh. Maybe they had a point, they were married after all, could their advice really be that bad? She looked around to see if she could spot Fitz, but she couldn't. Heading to the snake table, she figured she'd start at the last place she'd seen him and work her way from there. She'd just walked passed the wagon when she heard his voice from behind it.

"We're going to be fine," she heard him say.

"You did spend a lot of time with her the last few days," that was Bobbi's voice. Jemma knew she should leave, she shouldn't eavesdrop on the siblings' private conversation, but she couldn't move her feet.

"Yeah," Fitz agreed. "But we've always known where we stand though."

"She is very sweet, though."

"She is," he affirmed. "She's great, really great. And we've had fun, but she just isn't it for me."

"Well, I'm glad you figured that out before anything happened," Bobbi soothed. "It's fairer for the two of you that way."

"Yeah," He said. "It could have been really awkward."

Jemma felt her heartbreak. He had told Bobbi about their almost kiss, of course, she was his sister. And he deserved a sounding board just much she did. But she couldn't believe that this was the conclusion he had come to and without telling her first. She could feel tears prick at her eyes, and she blinked rapidly to try and hold them at bay. She had to get away, she didn't want to ruin the fun, but she couldn't be here any more. She wandered away from the sleigh, not really sure where she was going. Hunter came up beside her. "You alright Love? You're looking a little peaked."

"I'm not feeling too well," Jemma told him, it's not like it was a lie, she didn't have to say to him that she knew exactly what ailed her. "Do you know if there's a cab or something I could call? I don't want to bother Fitz or Bobbi."

"I'll give you a lift," he held a hand out. "Come on."

"Thanks, Hunter," she smiled the best could and allowed the man to lead her to his ATV

*

"But what about you and Jemma?" Bobbi smirked at brother as they walked around the wagon. Her smirk grew into a beamed when he didn't even try to hide the wide grin as it spread across his face. "So there is something going on there."

"I never knew I could feel this way about someone," Fitz shook his head. It still amazed him, how much even just thinking about it made his heart soar and a tingling warmth spread through his body.

"Oh yeah," Bobbi knocked into him teasingly.

"Yeah," he exhaled, his breath fogging the air in front of his face. "After Mum and Dad, I just, I never thought would happen. Like it shouldn't ever, not without them here experience it with me. You know?"

"I know," Bobbi placed a hand on his shoulder. "But they wouldn't want you to forgo a chance at love, Fitz, you know that. They'd want you to be happy. So take that leap, for you, for Daisy, as long as you think it's the right person. Is she?"

"I'm pretty sure she is," he proclaimed.

Bobbi pulled him into a hug. "I'm so proud of you."

"Love you, Bob."

"Love you too, baby brother," she kissed his cheek. "Go get your girl."

Fitz looked all over the grounds for Jemma, but he couldn't find her anywhere. He spotted Daisy and asked her, but she hadn't seen Jemma either, not since she went off to play, hide and seek. Hunter over heard their conversation and gave him an answer. "I gave her a lift back to the cottage, she wasn't feeling well but didn't want you all to the end fun on her account."

"Oh," Fitz was surprised, he would have taken her home, and stayed with her too, no deserves to be ill and alone at Christmas.

"Sorry to make you worry. I thought she would have texted or something," the man apologized. "She really did look off though, maybe she went in and just conked right out."

"Yeah, you're probably right. Thanks, Hunter," Fitz turned to his daughter. "Are you ready to go to Daisy?"

"Yup," the girl nodded and took her father's hand. 

They entered the house as quietly, not wanting to disturb Jemma in case she had fallen asleep. Fitz gave a quick goodnight Daisy while Bobbi took her to up bed. Fitz stepped gently into the living room, Jemma was there, on the couch, fast asleep. He took her in for a minute, she looked so beautiful. He knew they needed to talk, or well, he did at least, but it could wait until morning. He gently pulled the quilt higher over her slumbering frame and carefully placed another log fire, so she wouldn't get cold. Then he headed up to bed. It was only when she heard his feet fade up the stairs, that Jemma open eyes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	10. Chapter 10

The next morning Jemma heard movement from the kitchen as she stepped out of washroom after getting dressed. Fitz and Daisy were at the stove, she watched as the young girl flipped something in the frying pan.

"Good job," Fitz offered her a high five and looked up when he heard Jemma's heavy footsteps. "There you are, Hunter told us you weren't feeling well, are you doing any better?"

"Sleep helped," Jemma assured, working had to keep the quaver out of her voice. 

"Well, my famous frittatas are almost ready," he looked her up and down. Finally noticing her dressed in her coat, the strap of her computer bag over her shoulder. He didn't know it, but her suitcase was already in her car. "Where are you going?"

"Home," she answered.

"What?" He and Daisy asked together.

"The University called, they want me to give lecture series at Chulalongkorn University, I need be there by 27th," Jemma lied. 

"But tomorrow's Christmas Day," Fitz sputtered as he came around to stand in front of her.

"I know, but this is just the way it is sometimes," she plastered a fake smile on her face.

"But there's so much we haven't done yet," Daisy interjected. "Like going sledging or watching Christmas movies."

"I know Sweetie," she bit back the tears pricking at her eyes. "I'm really sorry, I wish we could have done those things too."

Bobbi entered, looking around at the trio. "What going on?"

"Jemma's leaving," Daisy cried.

"What?" she shocked. "But it's Christmas Eve."

"You really can't leave a little bit later?" Fitz appealed. "Like after Christmas? I'll drive you down to Glasgow or London or where ever myself if it'll help."

"I'm afraid not," she begged off. "There's a storm coming in, I need to head out before it gets here, I wouldn't want to be…stuck again." She could see Fitz set his jaw, ready to argue again, so she looked to Bobbi. "It was so nice to meet you."

The taller woman reached out and pulled her into a hug. "You too, Jemma."

"And you little one," Jemma crouched in front of Daisy, lifting the little girls head and smiled widely at her. "You have been one of the best parts about this whole Christmas getaway adventure."

"I wish you could stay longer," Daisy wrapped her arms around Jemma's waist and hugged her tight.

"Keep taking photos ok?" she encouraged and felt her nod against her chest before she pulled away. "Ok, I'd better go," she put her fake smile back on and quickly made her way out the door.

"Jemma wait," Fitz followed her outside. "Why do I feel like there's something more going on here? What are you not saying?"

Jemma shook her head, she couldn't tell him, not when he had chance happiness with such a wonderful woman, he deserved it. "I'm really sorry to disappoint Daisy."

"Then don't," he implored. "Stay." 

"Happy Christmas, Fitz," she said. It was the only thing she could think of. Giving him one final smile, she headed to her car and started to drive away. Chancing a glance in the rearview, she saw Fitz standing on the stoop watching as her car faded from view.

Fitz waited until Jemma's old car disappeared down the lane, hoping against reason that he would see her brake and turn around, but it didn't happen. Tucking his hands into his pockets, he trudged his way back into the cottage. When he entered his daughter and sister looked up at him expectantly, hopefully, but he just shook his head.

"What happened?" Bobbi asked for all of them as Daisy made her way into his arms, burying herself into his side.

"I have no clue," Fitz stroked some of Daisy's hair from her face. "She just…" he shook his head again and moved to sit on the couch. He wasn't hungry anymore.

*

Jemma drove away from the cottage, slowly, heavy snow was already starting fall from the sky, making the roads slippery. It would be slow going, and she vowed that one of the first things she would be doing when she got back to Glasgow was invest in winter tyres. She checked her gages and saw that her petrol was near empty, of course, it was. She stopped in town to fill up and saw the diner attached to the station. She knew she should get some food while she was there, she'd missed breakfast in her haste to getaway.

Sitting down at a table, she pulled out her phone and gave Elena a call. "Calm down," was the first thing she'd said after Jemma relayed what had happened.

"I am calm," she affirmed. "I'm crushed, embarrassed and heartsick, but I'm perfectly calm."

"Why are you embarrassed?"

"Because it's always embarrassing when you put yourself out there for another person," Jemma supplied.

"But you didn't put yourself out there," Elena pointed out. "Not really."

"That's not true."

"Yes, it is," Elena said bluntly. "You did that whole subtextual, 'I like you, do you like me' thing with your eyes, but you never actually told Fitz how you felt."

"And as it turns out that was the right choice because I now have a tiny sliver of dignity left to cling to," Jemma lamented.

"Can I point out one positive?" Elena offered.

"What's that?"

"Your writing," she said. "Your last article was amazing."

"You liked it?" Jemma asked.

"So much," she praised. "You put more of yourself into this one, by far."

"What do you mean?"

"Lately you've seemed so…detached from your articles, probably because you've been travelling so much," Elena said kindly.

"Detachment?" Jemma was surprised at the revelation. 

"More and more, especially in the ones where you're writing about traditions," her friend explained. "They're informative of course, but they have a very academic tone, some of them are like reading an anthropology article, not a travel one."

Jemma thought back to when she first approached Fitz about using Daisy's Christmas list for her article. She had wanted to observe, not interfere until little girl made her step up and join right in. "I had no idea."

"I know," Elena reassured gently. "That's part of why I may be exaggerated the Davis situation."

"He's not stuck in Finland?"

"Oh, he is," Elena confirmed. "But he could have still written the article."

"Then why did you ask me?"

"Because I was hoping if you had a reason to get involved in the kinds of traditions you never had a chance to explore while growing up," Elena started. "Then maybe you'd understand what makes them so special, why they become traditions in the first place. And you'd form a deeper connection to them."

"Well, that worked better than you could have hoped," Jemma sighed.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Jemma smiled as the waiter over with her food. "My meal is here, so I'm going to go, thanks, Elena."

"We'll see you when you get home."

*

Fitz watched the snow falling outside the window, Jemma had left hours ago, and he was still confused. Why did she leave like that? Had he done something wrong? So deep in his thoughts, he didn't hear as Bobbi came in with Daisy. "Let me handle him," she said to her niece. "You get it pulled up, ok?"

Daisy nodded and sat on the couch with her S-pad and watched her father stare out the window. "Hey," Bobbi said gently and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Hey," Fitz cleared his throat, and tried to push his funk out, it was Christmas after all. "What's up?"

"Daisy has something she wants to show us," Bobbi gestured to the sofa.

"Oh yeah," Fitz forced a smile at his daughter. "What you got?"

Daisy passed him the device as he sat next to her. "It's my Christmas present to you and Jemma. I emailed it to her too."

Fitz held the screen for all of them to see. "Alright, here we go," he hit play.

*

Jemma had just finished paying for her meal when phone chimed with a new email. Tapping the app, she pulled it up. It was from Daisy. 

'Thank you for helping me make the best Christmas ever. Love Daisy.' it read with a link under the message.

She sat back down and clicked the attachment. She watched as picture after picture filled the small screen. Images of the cottage, of her and Fitz at the Christmas tree farm, of them making faces each other their heads stuck in a little Christmas themed cut out in town. Jemma wiped a tear from her eye and chucked as the photos continued to pass. Her disastrous attempt at ice skating, all of them decorating the tree and building the gingerbread house, her having an afternoon cuppa with Fitz, the two of them leaning close in conversation, their faces alight. Daisy and Jemma curled up under a blanket reading a novel. Bobbi glaring at the camera still wearing her fuzzy pyjamas, her hair in disarray. The three of them together, smiling widely in front of the decorated tree; Jemma with her arms hugging Daisy from behind, Fitz with his arms around them both. It was beautiful she thought as the slideshow came to a close, Daisy had been able to capture it all. Everything she had been feeling, she could see in the photos. She made a mistake, she had to go back, there was no way she was letting this fantastic thing, this incredible family, slip through her fingers. Not without letting Fitz know the truth, not without a fight. Gathering her belongings, she raced back to her car. 

*

Daisy's slideshow ended on a photo of Jemma, Daisy and himself. All three of them wrapped up together in front of the tree, smiling happily at the camera. How did they get from that to where they were now? 

"Well?" Daisy asked tentatively. "What do you think?"

"I loved it," he breathed, letting all the bitterness of the day out with it. He looked at his daughter and his sister, his family, and as much as he wanted Jemma to be apart of that eventually, he couldn't force her, not if she didn't feel what he did. There was no crime in that, just disappointment on his part. But he couldn't shut himself off because of it either Daisy needed him. "That was beautiful, you did a great job, Sweetheart, thank you." He pulled her into his arms and placed a kiss on the top of her head. They would be ok.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	11. Chapter 11

"You were right," Jemma spoke loudly into the phone as she drove back to the cottage. The snow was falling fast now, and it was interfering with the connection.

"What? Jemma?" Elena plugged her opposite ear. "I can barely hear you."

"I said you were right," she repeated with a smile. "I never put myself out there, I never told Fitz how I felt, I just ran."

"Honey, it sounds like you're saying really important things, especially the part about me being right, but the connection is awful."

"I'm heading back, I'm going to tell Fitz that – oh no," she swerved as something darted in front of the car and hit a snowdrift.

"Jemma?" Elena panicked, but there was no response. "Jemma!"

Jemma took a deep breath and took her shaking hands off the steering wheel. Slowly she moved and flexed her limbs, checking for damage, but she as alright. Picking her phone up off the floor of the car, she tried to see if Elena was still on the line, but there was only this hiss of static. She tried calling again, but nothing. She tried Fitz and Bobbi, even Hunter, but to the same result. She turned her key, hoping to back the car out but it refused to turn over, she was well and truly stuck.

*

Fitz watched as Daisy pulled Jemma's stocking off the mantle and placed it on the coffee table. She'd been a trouper all day, but he knew she was just as sad as he was at Jemma's sudden departure. 

"Alright you," Bobbi came back into the room and looked at her niece. "Time for bed. We got a big day tomorrow."

"Ok," she hugged her aunt.

Fitz grinned and tapped his cheek; Daisy dropped a kiss to it as she walked by. "Goodnight, Daisy."

"Goodnight," she called from the stairs.

He was just about to get up and help her settle in when his phone rang from his pocket. Pulling the device out, he saw Hunter's name flash across the screen. If the man was calling to argue with Bobbi about soup again, Fitz was going to toss the thing in the fire. "What's up, Hunter?" he asked tentatively.

"Jemma's friend Elena just called me, she thinks Jemma's car went off the road."

"What?" he shot to his feet, his heart pumping fast, this was not happening. "Where?"

"I have no idea, her phone cut out," the man answered.

"I'm going to check the direction saw her head out," Fitz felt around in his pockets for his keys. "Let me know if you hear anything?"

"What's going on?" Bobbi asked.

"Jemma had a car accident," he told her, where were his keys? "She's somewhere out there, I'm gonna go look for her."

"Be careful," Bobbi reached into her own pocket and tossed him his keys, watching as he raced out the door.

*

Jemma wasn't sure how long she'd been stuck. She tried her phone a few more times, but the battery had run down, and the clock in the old car never really worked properly. She was tired, and she was hungry, but she had water at least. She reached into the glove compartment for one of the bottles she'd stashed in there. It was frozen solid. "Of course," she chuckled humourlessly and slammed the bottle into the cup holder. "Merry Christmas." 

She shivered, it was freezing, it was dark, and it was only going to get colder and darker, she needed a plan. She couldn't just rely on a car passing by and noticing her anytime soon, no one would be foolish enough to drive in these conditions, especially on Christmas Eve. She had more layers in her suitcase, which was in the boot. She also kept a couple of blankets in there for emergencies. This situation more than qualified. There were some flares in the boot too, she could put some of those out so someone, if anyone passed, would see her and hopefully stop.

Jemma moved around in her seat and looked out the window. She couldn't really see much, but the car felt like it was on solid ground. She rubbed her hands together, it was time move, or she would freeze to death. She was just reaching for the door handle when she heard it, tyres crunching on snow.

Jemma peered through the windscreen, but she couldn't make out anything through the snow, but their headlights did shine through. She heard a door slam and the crunching of snow underfoot and then a tapping at her window. It took a minute for it to budge, but when she finally rolled it down, Fitz stuck his head in. She'd never been so happy to see anyone in her life. "You really need to think about getting a new car," he cajoled, his nose red with cold.

"You think?" she smiled at him, shivering again.

"Come on," he pulled opened the door and led her to his waiting SUV.

Jemma was still shivering as she got in, but he'd left the heater running she knew she'd warm up soon. But it begged the question. "How did you know where I was?"

"Your friend called Hunter, Hunter called me," he explained. "And I came looking."

"Thank you."

"Well, don't thank me yet," he insisted squinting through the window. "We're not in the clear. This visibility is dangerous, I almost had to turn back."

"Why didn't you?"

Fitz gaped at her, did she really not know? "Because I care about you."

Jemma's breath hitched as she looked in his deep blue eyes, but he looked away. 

"Look. We're going to have to wait this out until we can see again," Fitz folded his arms across his chest. "So it looks like you're stuck with me a little longer."

"Sorry about this," Jemma also faced the window. "I know it wasn't a part of your Christmas plans."

They fell into silence for a while. Each one chancing a glance at the other when they knew they weren't looking. Fitz stared at her, watching as she squeezed and relaxed her fingers, trying to get some warmth back into them. He sighed and grabbed for them, holding her icy digits in his own and rubbing warmth back into them. "I just don't understand why you left," he finally said.

"I told you," Jemma mumbled quietly, unable to meet his eye. "The University-"

"Oh come on Jemma," he insisted. "I may not work in academia, but I know the University is closed. There is no way they're going to call on Christmas Eve about some guest lecture halfway across the world on a few days notice. Something happened. Just be honest with me, why did you leave?"

"I was trying to make it easier for you," she admitted, pulling her hands away.

"Easier? I don't understand."

"I overheard you talking to Bobbi at the bonfire, about how we're not suited," she confessed. "So I decided to leave, get out of the way, I guess."

Fitz opened his mouth; he needed to be careful about what he said next; he didn't want to spook her. "I said that about Jane, whom, let me be clear, I have zero romantic interest in."

"But she's perfect," Jemma insisted.

"For someone yeah, but not me," he said. "Now I noticed that your car is facing north, not south. What's that all about?"

"I was coming back to the cottage," she admitted. "I got the email from Daisy, the photo story."

"I saw it too."

"I tried to convince myself that what I was feeling wasn't real," Jemma shook her head. "But she captured it, so clearly."

"She did," Fitz agreed. "Jemma, you have to know, you captured all of my attention the moment…you threatened me with karate." 

She burst out laughing and shook her head at his teasing smile. "Well, that's what you get, for crashing my holiday."

"You crashed mine," he quipped and rested his head on the back of his seat, his eyes never leaving hers.

"Fitz," she started suddenly serious. "I've never felt this way about anyone before."

"I haven't either," he confessed. "But it feels right, though? Doesn't it?"

"Yeah," she smiled. "So what are we going to do about it?"

Fitz reached up and cupped her cheek. "We'll figure it out together."

They leaned in slowly, their lips just barely brushing when a loud honk from behind them made them jump apart. "Really?" Fitz rolled his eyes and started to pull away to see who their unexpected guest was, but Jemma didn't let him get that far. Whoever their saviour was could wait. She grabbed Fitz collar and pulled him to her, sealing his lips with her own. Their kiss was soft at first, a gentle slide that made her heart flutter in her chest. She gently brought her hands up to thread her fingers through his curls, as his tongue swept against her lower lip, seeking entrance. 

There was a knock on the window, but they barely even heard it too interested in each other to care. A second, louder knock came. "Oi!" Hunter's voice rang out, muffled by the glass. "Get your tongues out of each other throats and open up."

Fitz pulled away with a groan and rolled down the window. "Hunter," he acknowledged, trying hard nor to glare at the man.

"I ain't Rudolph," he smirked at the pair. "But I can get you back home, alright."

"Thanks, Hunter," Jemma tried to control the blush on her face and shot the man a thumbs up. 

*

Bobbi was pacing by the door, wringing her hands. She hadn't heard a word from Fitz yet, and she was starting to get worried. Was Jemma alright? Had she been hurt? Had Fitz? She looked up at a clomping on the stairs and saw Daisy coming down them. "Why aren't you in bed?"

"I thought I heard something?" she wiped the sleep from her eyes. "I thought maybe it was Father Christmas."

The front door opened and Fitz walked in holding Jemma's and helping her over the threshold. "Oh thank God," Bobbi immediately pulled Jemma into a big hug. "Are you ok?"

"Much better now," the younger woman separated from her with a smile.

"Jemma!" Daisy jumped into her arms. "You came back!"

"Well I heard some whisperings that the best Christmas ever taking place here," she dropped a kiss to the girl's head. "And I can't miss that now could I?"

"Nope," Daisy smiled and snuggled into the hug.

"Not for the world," she affirmed. 

"Alright," Fitz came over with Jemma's bag. "I think it's past time all we were all in bed."

*

Jemma drifted awake slowly the next morning, she was lovely and warm and didn't want to start the day just then. Stirring a bit, she felt a heaviness around her waist she wasn't used too. That's when it all came flooding back. She rolled over in the bed and looked at a still slumbering Fitz. Nothing had happened that night, just some kissing as they snuggled together in the bed. She'd been pleasantly surprised to learn there was a fireplace in the master bedroom as well; it was something she had missed on her first look through the house.

She propped herself up on her side and looked at her sleeping bed mate. It shocked her a bit that this was how her Christmas getaway was drawing to a close, but she couldn't be happier about it. She reached up and traced Fitz's stubbled jaw gently with the backs of her fingers. He looked so peaceful, and she'd hate to disturb him, but now that she had free reign to touch him whenever she wanted, she didn't want to stop. She was able to get away with it for a few moments until her questing fingers went too high and brushed against his earlobe. She watched as his eyes flickered open, blinking away the sleep and taking her in.

"Morning," he smiled, his voice heavy with sleep.

"Morning," Jemma stroked his jaw one last time and settled her head against his chest.

"So are you ready to experience Christmas morning with a kid?" he asked, running his fingers through her hair gently.

"I have done that before you know."

"Oh," she could feel the chuckle rumble through his chest. "With some family in Timbuktu?"

Jemma whacked him gently with the back of her hand. "With Elena, Mack and their kids. I was coming back from Italy and made it just before they opened their presents." 

"Well, it is a little different when they actually wake you up," he informed.

"I can't wait," she turned in his arms and gave him a kiss.

A gentle knock on the door made them break away from one another and Jemma resettled herself against Fitz side as Daisy tiptoed in. 

"Happy Christmas," the girl greeted as she climbed onto the foot of the bed.

"Good morning Sweetheart," Fitz returned and tugged his daughter in between them.

"Happy Christmas, Daisy," Jemma stroked her hair as Daisy settled into her side.

"When can we wake up, Aunt Bobbi?" she asked her dad, basking in Jemma's attentions.

"Well, what time is it?" Fitz craned his neck to look at the alarm clock. "8:22, I'd say by the time we get out of bed, go downstairs to get the coffee on, and breakfast started, we should be well past Aunt Bobbi's 'do not disturb before 8:30 on pain of death' rule."

"Ok," Daisy giggled and bounded out of bed.

"Ready for this?" Fitz asked Jemma as they too got out from under the covers.

"More than," Jemma took his hand as they followed Daisy out of the room.

* 

"It's called Risgrynsgröt," Jemma explained later that night as she added an almond into the pot. 

"That's the, what is it Norwegian, tradition with the almond, right?" Hunter asked, and everyone's head darted to him in surprise.

"Swedish," Jemma shook away her shock, Hunter didn't strike her as the most…cultured of people. "You know it?" 

"It's about sweets, Love," he winked and took a bowl from her. "It's my business to know about these kinds of things."

"So what's this tradition?" Bobbi asked, taking her own bowl and digging around hesitantly.

"Whoever finds the almond in their bowl," Hunter put in. "Will be married within a year."

"You get a pass, little lady," Fitz said sternly to Daisy as he passed her a spoon. 

The girl took her bowl and stuffed a spoonful in her mouth to mask her giggle. "This is really good."

"Glad you like it," Jemma smiled as Daisy made her way over to the Christmas tree with Hunter and Bobbi.

Fitz came round the counter and took the bowl Jemma offered him. They stood in front of each other, as they pushed the porridge around. There was a bigger sense of excitement for Jemma this time compared to the last time she partook in this tradition. Fitz lifted his spoon just as Jemma felt her's clatter against something hard in her bowl. Looking at the nut on Fitz spoon, she lifted her own confused, only to find an almond there as well. "So," Fitz gave her a mischievous smile. "What do you say?"

Jemma grinned at him, curious how he could have snuck an extra almond into her bowl or his without her seeing. Putting her down the bowl, she reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him down for a kiss. "I like this tradition," she whispered as they pulled away.

"Me too," he smiled and brushed his nose against hers. 

The moved to join the other, Jemma curled into Fitz side. Daisy looked up at them, she'd never seen the girl smile so wide before, not even when opening presents that morning. "Best. Christmas-"

"Ever," Jemma finished with a laugh and held an arm out for the girl. She eagerly dove into them.

"Can I take a picture?" she asked, her voice muffled by Jemma's sweater.

"Of course," Bobbi rose from the couch, pulling a reluctant Hunter with her.

The four adults gathered in front of the fireplace; Bobbi and Hunter at either end, Jemma and Fitz between them, her head leaning his against his shoulder.

"Christmas tree," Daisy said, raising her camera.

"Christmas tree," all of them repeated, beaming at her.

The flash went off, and Daisy looked at the little screen to see her shot as the adults made their way back to the sofa. "Perfect," she declared and made her way to the group, snuggled between Jemma and her father. They took up their bowls and ate as they chatted into the night. It was the perfect beginning to a beautiful tradition.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * So I realize to a lot (at lease everyone I talk to) find this "later" Christmas morning is a strange thing but it’s something we did in my house. We weren’t allowed out of our rooms until 8am at the earliest, and my Uncle, who lived with us for a while had a very strict ‘do not knock on my door before 8:30, I will drop kick you I do not care how young you are,’ rule. Then we’d open our stockings, then breakfast, and then presents. It made for a very relaxed morning, but that was nice, especially compared to hearing all my friends talk about how they'd be waking their parents up at 6:00am or earlier. IDK the way my family did Christmas seemed like torture to them, but even as a kid I liked my sleep so I was all good with it.
> 
> Scottish crumpets are the best thing in existence. They’re like a crumpet meets a pancake (or a crepe, because they're thin) I personally prefer them to pancakes (north american ones anyways, way to dense for me they sit like a brick). If anyone wants a recipe hit me up on tumblr, my aunt’s recipe is the best.


	12. Epilogue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is the final chapter, sorry it's so late. I had to watch my sister's kids while she was away and my brother in law was working super strange hours (lots of double shifts and overtime, pretty sure he's maxed out for the month already). No lie they went to bed and I just crashed out each time, kudos to all the Mum's out there who can write and do all that stuff while looking after, young children. Especially during the last part of Christmas Vacation. They're good kids usually, but...no, never again.

Fitz groaned as movement from the other side of the bed jostled him from sleep. The sun shone brightly through the window coverings, and that was the best sign during a highland winter that it was a great day to stay in bed. He groaned again as those covering were thrown open, and the light flooded the room, even more, he tugged the blankets over his head in a bid to shut it out. 

"Good morning, Husband," a sultry voiced came from outside the blankets.

Fitz smiled, that was him, he was a husband, a small part of him still couldn't believe that it had happened. He pulled the blanket down and poked his head out. Jemma stood in the door way clad in a silk robe. "Good morning to you wife, what are you doing out of bed?"

Jemma shook her head in near disbelief; she was a wife now, and a mother. Her and Fitz had been married the week before in a small ceremony in Glasgow, and then come up to Cedar Gove for a short honeymoon before their family would join them for Christmas later that night. It had been quite a year, she'd taken a sabbatical from the University to focused on her book, which was going well. It also gave her more time with Fitz and Daisy, letting her really get to know them, and how the three of them fit together. It had been amazing, not only did her and Fitz work well together in their romantic relationship they also had a fantastic bond professionally as well. They'd designed a series of drones together that had piqued Stark's interest so much that he'd even offered Jemma a job, but she declined, for the time being at least. She wanted to stay focused on the book, but that didn't stop the man from dropping hints every time he saw her, including at their wedding. 

Just because she was focusing her energies on one project didn't mean her travelling stopped, she just had more people to share the experiences with now. They had taken Daisy to Germany and Austria during her mid-term break and France over Easter. In the summer, after a quick trip up to Cedar Grove, they spent a month travelling Australia, Daisy taking pictures the entire time. Including during their trip to Bondi Beach where Fitz asked her to marry him, she said yes with no hesitation. Elena had been right, sometimes when you know, you just know.

She joined Fitz back on the bed, but she didn't dare get under the covers. He'd no doubt find some way to persuade her to stay there all day, and that wouldn't do, they had plenty to do to make cottage ready before the others arrived. "So what do you want to do this morning?" She asked, carding her fingers through his hair.

"Well it looks cold outside," he turned his head into her hand, a clear sign for her to keep going. "I say there's nothing better to do then stay curled up here. I'm sure we'll find some way to entertain ourselves," he tugged playfully at the tie to her robe.

Jemma batted his hand away. "We've spent plenty of time doing that already," she grinned as Fitz pouted dramatically. "Besides I have a surprise planned for tonight. I can't spend all day in bed."

"Oh?" He rose up, grinning, "What might that be?"

"I told you it's a surprise," she laughed as he began kissing down her neck.

"Can't I get a hint?" Fitz moved the robe aside gently and kissed a path down her shoulder.

"Well you're on the right track," she moaned as he grazed her collarbone gently with his teeth, it was one of her weak spots. She let him linger a little longer, basking in the attention. He had just slipped his hand down to the tie again when she stood up and righted the robe. "Is that enough of a hint?"

"Tease," he admonished and flopped back on the bed.

"Come on Fitz," she pulled the blankets off the bed and started to the door. "I'm hungry, and we have a lot to do today."

"Fine," he grumbled and tugged on a shirt, following his wife down the stairs. His wife, he loved saying that.

Something was sitting on the kitchen table when she walked in. A small square box wrapped in green paper adorned with a red and silver bow. "What's this?" she asked curiously as Fitz came in on her heels and headed to the coffee pot. 

"Huh?" he shrugged and set a mug in front of her as she took a seat at the table. "I guess Father Christmas thought you deserved a gift a little bit early."

"What are you up too?" 

"You're not the only one who can plan a surprise," he smirked. "Besides, we both know I'm the romantic one."

She glared at him playfully as he scooted the present closer to her. He wore no expression as she slowly peeled away the paper, just sipped his coffee as he watched. 

"A key?" she asked as she pulled them out of the box. "I told you I'm not getting a new car."

"It's not for a car," he shook her head, he really didn't understand her attachment to that old junker. "I talked with Hunter."

"Oh?"

"He's looking to cut back a bit," Fitz explained. "With so many properties to manage, plus the candy store, and going down so often to see Bobbi, it's too much for him to keep track of."

"And?"

"And so I was able to convince him to sell me this place."

"What?" Jemma was stunned, has he just said what she thought he said.

"The cottage," he grinned. "It's ours."

"No." 

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes," he laughed, he really hadn't been expecting this level disbelief.

"You bought a house without telling me?"

"Uh," Fitz paused, he hadn't thought that way. "Yes?"

"And you didn't think I should have been included in the process?"

"Umm," was there a right thing to say? It really didn't feel to him like there was a right thing to say. "Well you see, I was just - I mean..."

Jemma grinned, it was mean to let him squirm so much. "I'm just teasing Fitz. But that doesn't mean I don't have my concerns." 

"Thank God," he sighed in relief. "What are your concerns?" 

"Can we afford this?"

"Yes," he began. "Especially if we keep renting it, Hunter will show us how to set up and run the website, an with only one property it's not much to manage at all."

"So we wouldn't move here permanently?" 

"Not just yet, I think."

"Good," Jemma sighed. "With Daisy in the middle of school, our work, the book."

"It's too much right now, the timing isn't there," Fitz agreed and took her hand. "But someday if we want to, we can. Whether that's a year from now or more."

"What would we do about work, I don't think there are any labs around Cedar Grove," Jemma loved the idea she did, but she didn't want to give up science, even in retirement.

"We could turn one of the outbuildings into a lab," Fitz posited. "I have some designs already in mind, I'd love your input though. And I'm sure between the two of us, we could figure out a way to get Stark to finance it," Jemma laughed at that. "And as for travel, we're closest to Aberdeen, but we could make the slog to Edinburgh Airport or Glasgow International easily enough. As long as we don't take your car."

"Leave my car alone," Jemma smacked his shoulder and rose from the table.

"Where you going?"

"I'll be right back," she kissed his head. "Give me a minute."

She returned just almost as soon as she left, a wrapped box of her own in hand. "What's this?"

"My surprise," she answered simply.

"The one for tonight?" he was confused.

"You moved up my time table a bit," she grinned. 

"Did I now?" he grinned as he opened the gift. It was a framed photo of her and Daisy. Raising an eyebrow he lifted it out of the box and gave it a good look, he recognized the background, a bench in the Botanical Gardens, it had to have been recently because Daisy's hair was in a wavy little bob cut she'd wanted for the wedding. What did this have to with Jemma's 'hint' from earlier?

"Do you see it yet?" she teased, tracing her fingers over his furrowed brow.

Fitz rolled his shoulders and looked closer at the image, there was writing on Daisy's shirt. He squinted at it, 'only child EXP. this August.' His head whipped up to Jemma's, then back to the picture, then Jemma's stomach. "Really?"

"Yeah," she nodded, her smiled widening. "I found out a few days before the wedding. So are you happy?"

Fitz leaned across the table and kissed her. "More than," he sat back down and took up the picture again. "I can't believe Daisy was able to keep this a secret."

"Well, Bobbi did buy her silence with a shopping spree at Hunter's when they get here, so we better brace ourselves for that."

Fitz groaned, tipping his head back as Jemma rose from her seat and sat down in his lap. She brought her fingers up to his hair and played with his curls. She hoped the baby inherited them, as well as his eyes, though she knew genetically speaking the odds were more in favour of hers. 

"Thank you for my surprise," he mumbled into her neck, as he brought his arms around her waist, holding her close.

"Couldn't have done it without you," she teased and felt him grin against her. "I've thought of a new tradition."

"Hmmm," he hummed. "Isn't that an oxymoron?"

"This," Jemma snuggled in tighter, ignoring his jib. "Every morning, when we move here." 

"I'd like that," Fitz placed a gentle kiss on the side of her head.

Silence fell over them like a soft blanket as they sipped their coffee, watching the snow as it fell slowly outside the window. They had things to do, their family's arrival to prepare, a whole cottage, the entire cottage to decorate, for but for now, they were content in each other's arms. After all, traditions have to start somewhere.


End file.
